Mr. Olney to Mr. Denby.

No. 1399.]

Sir: Acknowledging the receipt of your No. 2665, of December 23, 1896, concerning the amended rules for preventing collisions at sea, in which you ask to be informed whether it is the desire of this Government to extend the operation of these rules to include native junks of over 20 tons, they having been excluded by the Chinese Government, I have to say that, although the matter appears to be one within the jurisdiction of that Government, this Department, in view of a letter from the Acting Secretary of the Treasury of the 18th instant upon the subject, thinks it advisable to suggest that the safety of navigation in waters adjacent to the Chinese coast would be promoted if the masters and officers of Chinese junks were familiar with the revised international rules and were instructed to obey them as far as practicable.

You may present this feature of the case to the Chinese Government.

I am, etc.,

Richard Olney.