Mr. Wu Ting-fang to Mr. Sherman.

No. 39.]

Sir: Referring to the correspondence between my predecessor and your Department in 1896, and more particularly to your Department’s notes of July 3 and September 24, respectively, resulting in an arrangement by which the diplomatic and consular officers of the United States in Salvador, with the acquiescence of the Government of that Republic, were kindly allowed by your Department to exercise their good offices in behalf of Chinese subjects residing in that country, I have the honor to state that the Chinese residents of Salvador, through our consul in New York, have asked me to request that, as the United States Government has appointed a new minister to Salvador, instructions may be sent to him by your Government, in order that in case of need they may still be able to invoke the friendly offices of the representatives of the United States in the protection of their persons and property.

I beg, therefore, that you will be so good as to write to him to that effect.

Be pleased to accept, sir, etc.,

Wu Ting-Fang.