Mr. Day to Mr. Denby.
Washington, June 6, 1898.
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch, No. 2916, of the 20th of April last, reporting that through an error in a telegram to you from our consul-general at Shanghai you were led to demand [Page 198] 500 taels instead of 5,000 taels from the Chinese Government as indemnity for iujuries to Americans, resulting from the riot at Chiang Pei. You add that you have informed the Yamên of the mistake and have demanded the latter sum.
Such mistakes suggest that, in telegraphing important sums, words and not figures should be employed.
Respectfully, yours,