Mr. Yang Yü to Mr. Olney.

Sir: Referring to the recent correspondence between myself and your Department upon the subject of the approaching visit of His Majesty’s special ambassador, Earl Li Hung Chang, to the United States, I have the honor to apprise you of the receipt of cable information from his excellency by which I understand that he has decided to [Page 95] leave England on the 22d instant, per steamship St. Louis for the port of New York. After remaining a day in New York and part of a day in Philadelphia, the ambassador will come to this city, and, after a visit of about a week here, his excellency will proceed with his party to Canada to make connection with the steamship which is to sail from Vancouver on September 13 next for China. The ambassador’s suite is composed of sixteen secretaries and attachés, twelve military attendants, and nine servants.

In connection with the foregoing, I beg to remark that, with the exception of the dates of sailing from England and America, aforesaid, which are, no doubt, such as to harmonize best with the earl’s plans and, therefore, would probably admit of no alteration without causing them perhaps serious derangement, the lengths and dates of the visits at the several cities are, I presume, not absolutely determined, but subject to such slight change as circumstances may require. To enable the ambassador to obtain an audience of the President of the United States for the purpose of presenting to His Excellency an autograph letter from His August Sovereign the Emperor of China, I have to request that you, Mr. Secretary, will take such early steps as you may deem proper to make the necessary arrangements, earnestly trusting that some date prior to September 7 may be selected which would suit the pleasure and convenience of the President.

In conclusion, I should add that Earl Li, in his cablegram to me, expressed deep and genuine regret at his inability to make as long a a visit in this country as he would wish, owing to the nearness of the date on which he must depart for China.

I shall be greatly obliged if you will kindly favor me with an early reply.

Accept, etc.,

Yang Yü.