Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 5, 1898

Mr. Denby to Mr. Sherman.

Legation of the United States,
Peking, China , June 6, 1898 .

No. 2939.]

Sir: In my dispatch, No. 2937, of the 1st instant I sent a translation of a recent circular issued by the Russian Legation relating to the viséing of passports of persons going to the territory ceded by China to Russia.

I stated in this dispatch that the circular “seems to require that such passports shall be viséed by Russian consuls in China.”

I have now the honor to inform you that my construction was erroneous. It is understood here that it is not compulsory that such passports be viséed. Passports are obligatory—visées are optional.

I have, etc.,

Charles Denby.