[Inclosure 1 in No.
2371.]
Mr. Denby to
the Tsung-li Yamên.
September 25,
1895.
No. 36.]
Your Highnesses and your Excellencies: I
have the honor to inform you that the American commission, which is
organized for the purpose of investigating at Chengtu the riots
which recently took place in the province of Szechuan, is about to
depart for its destination.
I renew my request that you designate a Chinese official of high rank
to sit with the commission and aid its investigations and
participate in its labors.
This official should not be one who was in office in Szechuan at the
time of the riots. He should be independent, and capable, without
embarrassment, of examining into the facts.
I am of the impression that no official of the province would be
suited for this position. Such an official had better be selected
from some other locality than the province of Szechuan—for instance,
from Hankow.
I request you to issue suitable orders that the commission shall be
received with fitting respect and attention both en route and at the
place of destination.
The members of the commission represent the authority and dignity of
the United States. They are high commissioners, clothed with
important duties. The commission is composed of Sheridan P. Read,
esq., consul of the United States at Tientsin 5 Francis M. Barber,
commander in the Navy of the United States and naval attaché to this
legation, and Fleming D. Cheshire, esq., interpreter to this
legation.
I desire to know the name and rank of the official who has been
designated by you to cooperate with these gentlemen, and beg that
you will instruct him in the sense above stated.
I have the honor to state further that I am just now in receipt of
positive and imperative instructions that the commission will
proceed to Chengtu overland. The arrival of Commander Barber at
Tientsin is expected in a few days and the commission will
immediately depart on its mission.
I again request you to organize and prepare a suitable and ample
escort.
I desire you to answer immediately whether you will comply with this
request. I am directed to report immediately any delay or hesitation
in complying with this just demand.
I trust you will find no difficulty in complying with it.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
2371.]
The Tsung-li Yamên to
Mr. Denby.
Your Excellency: We have had the honor to
receive your excellency’s note with which you returned three
passports, stating that your Government wished the journey of the
commission to be made overland and not by water.
Your excellency asked that the necessary changes be made and the
documents returned to you.
The Yamên has issued three passports, one to each commissioner,
available for the journey to Szechuan, viâ
Chihli, Shansi, and Shensi. They have been duly stamped by the
governor of Peking. Telegraphic instructions have been issued to the
officials of all the provinces en route to provide an escort.
We send herewith three passports which we beg your excellency will be
good enough to transmit to the gentlemen in whose favor they are
issued.
