Mr. Denby to Mr.
Olney.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, September 21,
1895. (Received Nov. 8.)
No. 2360.]
Sir: I have the honor to confirm my telegram to
you of the 20th instant, as follows:
Opposition of China to commission practically finished.
Commission will go, unless countermanded.
In this connection I inclose a translation of a communication to me from
the Tsung-li Yamên, wherein the suggestion is made that the route of the
commission be by water, and that on arriving at the province of Szechuan
the members thereof should consult or act with the judge of that
province; in other words, he is to be the Chinese commissioner.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 2360.]
The Tsung-li Yamên to
Mr. Denby.
Your Excellency: Upon the 18th instant,
upon your call at the Yamên, you stated that your Government still
intended to send a commission to Chengtu to investigate the
missionary cases there.
As the Chinese Government is very desirous of having the matter
brought to a termination at an early day, the provincial judge was
therefore appointed to proceed to Chungking, and there confer with
the British consul, thus manifesting a desire to be careful.
The view of the Chinese Government in this matter has been
telegraphed by the Yamên to Mr. Yang, Chinese minister at
Washington,
[Page 144]
He was
requested to confer with the honorable Secretary of State, and to
say that China was anxious to take earnest action in the premises.
No reply has as yet, however, been received from him.
Should the discussion of the question between Minister Yang and the
honorable Secretary of State result in the commission not being
sent, trouble will be spared both countries. But if your
excellency’s Government insist on sending the commission, we beg to
state that the route to be taken should be by water. This would be
the most convenient and quickest in both going and returning. At the
proper time, however, the Yamên will consult your excellency. On
arrival of the commission in Szechuan they should consult or act
with the judge of that province.
Cards of ministers, with compliments.
