Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1900

Mr. Choate to Mr. Hay.

American Embassy,
London , August 4, 1900 .

No. 372.]

Sir: I have the honor to report that, in pursuance of your cable instructions of 1st instant,¹ I addressed to Her Majesty’s minister for foreign affairs, on the 2d instant, a note, and on the 3d instant I received from Lord Salisbury a personal note in reply, of which I inclose a copy.

I have the honor to be, etc.

Joseph H. Choate.

[Inclosure.]

Lord Salisbury to Mr. Choate.

Foreign Office , August 3, 1900 .

Dear Mr. Choate: I am much obliged to you for your note of yesterday informing me of what has passed between the Government of the United States and Li Hung Chang with regard to the proposal of the latter that the advance on Pekin should not take place pending negotiations for the establishment of free communications between the foreign representatives and their Governments.

I need hardly assure your excellency that I entirely concur in the terms of the reply of the Secretary of State.

Messages of a similar kind have reached me from the Emperor through the Chinese minister, and I have always said that no negotiations were possible until I was in a position to communicate freely with Her Majesty’s minister in Pekin.

Believe me, my dear embassador, very truly, yours,

Salisbury.

1. Circular telegram printed ante, p. 315.