Memorandum handed to the Secretary by Mr. Wu.

Cablegram from Prince Ching and Earl Li Hung Chang, transmitted by the Chinese minister at St. Petersburg, under date of November to Minister Wu, who received it on the evening of the same day.

Those princes who were responsible for the disturbance have been by a decree deprived of their ranks and offices. As regards those princes, dukes, and high officials handed over for punishment, the proper boards have jointly memorialized the Throne, proposing degradation from office besides other suitably severe punishment to be added thereto. This proposal will undoubtedly receive Imperial approval. According to the laws [of China] the deprivation of rank and official emolument in the case of a prince or a duke, together with the prohibition of his descendants from inheriting the same, is just one degree less in severity to capital punishment.

Besides the above, a memorial has been addressed to the Throne by us proposing that Tung Fu-hsiang and Yu Hsien, against whom the foreign ministers are deeply incensed, be severely punished.

The course thus pursued seems to be most just and satisfactory.

As to Kang Yi and Yu Hsien, the former has died of illness and the latter committed suicide.

We hear that the foreign ministers are considering to join in demanding capital punishment for all those officers. We earnestly request you to urge the honorable the Secretary of State to show consideration in the matter by directing the minister [at Pekin] to open negotiations at an early date and causing immediate cessation of military operations and early withdrawal of troops, in order to prevent further alarm to the people and to the end that a complete settlement may be satisfactorily reached and friendly relations restored.