Mr. Goodnow to Mr. Cridler.
Shanghai, August 25, 1900.
Sir: In connection with my telegrams of August 17 and 18 I have to hand you the following reply from His Excellency Liu Kunyi, viceroy at Nankin, dated August 2:
The very friendly intentions of the Government of your honorable country are highly appreciated.
Our Empress Dowager and Emperor consider friendly international relations of great importance, and have for some tens of years made no difference between ministers and people at home or from abroad. Having received repeated commands from their majesties to give orders in every province that outlaws harassing foreigners should, whenever occasion requires, be severely dealt with, so as to give a quietus to the source of anarchy, the viceroys and governors feel bound to obey and to carry out loyally these commands. We still hope that the Government of your honorable country will save the situation so that international peace may be preserved, which will be most fortunate. I therefore ask you to oblige me by conveying our thanks to your Government.
I have the honor to be, etc.,