Mr. Conger to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Pekin
,
October 11,
1901
.
No. 769.]
Sir: Confirming my telegrama of the 9th ultimo and
Department’s replya of
the 12th ultimo, I have the honor to report that on the 14th ultimo I
made formal application for the re-cession to the United States of the
old United States concession at Tientsin, having previously received
verbal assurance of a willingness on the part of Prince Ching and Li
Hung-chang to grant it. The matter was referred to Li Hung-chang, the
viceroy of this province, by the foreign office, but becaues [Page 55] of his illness, or for some other
reason, he did not reply. However, in the meantime his secretary had
informed me that he was giving it his attention. On the 7th instant I
wrote him again and received reply that he had instructed the taotai at
Tientsin to consult the English and German consuls and report. I
immediately wrote him that as this was a matter which concerned only
China and the United States it was wholly unnecessary to consult any
other governments, and that such consultation on his part was, in fact,
only an invitation for them to interfere, and that the United States
Government could not allow such interference. I also called and had a
personal conference the 9th instant, in which he said that after the
concession was surrendered by the United States it was then divided
between Germany and England. I knew this could not have been possible
and so told him, but added that if it were so that was the end of it, as
we were not asking a concession from England or Germany, but only from
China. My Government, however, would not be satisfied except upon
conclusive proof that such was the case. He said, of course their
records were all destroyed, and he only had an indistinct recollection
of the matter, as it was done during the viceroyalty of Wang Wen-shao;
but the German and English consuls must have a record of it, and that
was why he wished to consult them.
To-day he sent his secretary and the customs taotai of Tientsin to tell
me that he was mistaken; that the matter had been talked about, but was
not in fact given to the Germans and English, because of the opposition
of the China Merchants’ Steam Navigation Company and the Chinese
Engineering and Mining Company, who were the owners of practically all
the land in the tract. I told them, as I had also told Li Hung Chang
before, that if it was not given to the United States the Germans or
English would take it, and therefore it was not a question whether or
not these companies should be under foreign jurisdiction, but under what
foreign jurisdiction. They replied that the English and Germans, soon
after our giving it back, had agreed in writing that they would not ask
for it, but would leave it in control of these two companies. I said
that the affairs of last year had changed all this, and that had it not
been for the notice which I served in February last the tract would have
been seized before this as they have seized other property. But they
still urge the opposition of these two companies as an excuse, and add,
further, that the Chinese Engineering and Mining Company has been sold
out to Belgian, Russian, and French interests, and they can not
understand what we can want of a concession where the land is all
occupied, leaving no place for American merchants or business, and they
say that these companies will strongly suspect a design to dispossess
them. I insisted that all rights of property in Chinese or others would
always be respected under the jurisdiction of the United States. They
then said the taxes would necessarily be very high, and as these two
companies owned practically all the land, they would have all the taxes
to pay. I replied that even now the roads had to be kept up, policed,
and lighted and it would probably cost them no more then than now. They
answered that now the Chinese board of works improved the streets and
that they paid no taxes, etc.
Instead of this tract they offer and beg us to accept a much larger and
unoccupied tract a long way down the river, outside of all the other
concessions. I replied that this would not satisfy us, but that this [Page 56] tract, even with its present
occupants, exactly suited our purpose and was the only tract we
desired.
They then asked if we would be willing to agree that a representative of
one of these companies should always have a place on the council of
municipal government. I replied that we desired the concession on the
same terms as to jurisdiction and control as concessions had been given
to other powers, and could take it with no other restrictions.
They finally said that the viceroy was very anxious to please the United
States, and would consent to giving the concession if I insisted upon
it, but he had sent them to explain to me all the difficulties in the
way and the troubles and complications which would probably arise out of
it. I replied that I understood it all, and if the concession was
properly granted to the United States we would have to meet the
difficulties as they arose, and at any rate they should not invite
difficulties and opposition by consulting these companies or anybody
else.
The fact is, these companies represent some of the foremost and
wealthiest Chinese in the Empire, and they do not wish to be turned
over, together with their property, to foreign jurisdiction, and the
viceroy does not like to brook their opposition. It is possible that
before the affair is concluded we shall hear of some strenuous German
opposition. In fact, I am not certain that they will not resurrect some
documentary evidence giving Germany title, because in the correspondence
transmitted to the Department with Colonel Denby’s dispatch No. 2559, of
July 10, 1896, there is a letter from the taotai, saying that he would
take the concession back and would then turn it over to the Germans.
I inclose the correspondence had thus far concerning the matter, and
have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Mr. Conger to
the Board of Foreign
Affairs.
Legation of the United States,
Pekin
,
September 14, 1901
.
F. O. No. 280.]
Your Highness and Your Excellencies: During
the occupancy of Tientsin by the allied forces many of the foreign
powers have taken advantage of the situation to possess themselves
of large tracts of territory in that vicinity for separate national
settlements or for other purposes. The United States has taken no
part in such appropriations of property, preferring to organize
international settlements where possible. But since this seems
impossible at Tientsin at the present time, and since normal
relations have been reestablished between the powers and China, so
that it may properly be done, my Government has instructed me to
request the recession to the United States of the very small tract
in Tientsin well known as the United States concession. This tract
comprises all the land lying between the British and German
concessions and extending from the Peiho River back to the Taku
road. The boundaries are well known and established, but at a later
date they can be more accurately surveyed and marked.
This concession was set apart for and granted to the United States in
1860 at the same time that the English and French concessions were
granted to them. For many years jurisdiction was exercised over it
by the United States consul, but on June 27, 1896, it was, for what
then seemed sufficient reasons, surrendered back to the Chinese
Government; but now conditions have so changed as to make it
necessary and desirable for the United States to again take it under
its jurisdiction. It will also be an advantage to China to have the
United States exercising jurisdiction along with the other
governments at Tientsin.
[Page 57]
I beg to add that during a recent conversation with his excellency,
the Chinese plenipotentiary, Li Hung-chang, before the signing of
the protocol, he assured me that the act of recession should have
his approval and cooperation.
Trusting that this request will meet with the hearty approval of your
highness and that the proper local officials will be immediately
given the necessary instructions to carry it out, I improve this
first occasion to congratulate you upon the reorganization of the
foreign office, and to assure your highness, etc.
[Inclosure 2.]
Prince Ch’ing
to Mr. Conger.
F. O. No. 261.]
Ch’ing, prince of the first order, president of the board of foreign
affairs, etc., sends this reply:
A few days since I received your excellency’s dispatch concerning the
former American concession at Tientsin, which was restored to China,
requesting that it might be retroceded to the United States,
etc.
The contents of the dispatch have been carefully noted and I have
issued instructions to the superintendent of trade for the north to
take the matter into consideration and report.
As in duty bound I send this reply for your excellency’s
information.
Kuanghsu XXVII year, eighth moon, 7th day (September
19).
[Inclosure 3.]
Mr. Conger to
Earl Li.
Legation of the United States,
Pekin
,
October 7, 1901
.
F. O. No. 292.]
Your Excellency: On the 14th ultimo I had
the honor to send to his highness, Prince Ch’ing, president of the
foreign office, a request on behalf of my Government for the
recession of the former United States concession in Tientsin. His
highness, acknowledging receipt, informed me that the matter had
been referred to your excellency to be arranged. This was done in
pursuance of previous personal conference, in which both his
highness and your excellency had expressed a willingness to make the
recession.
It would seem, therefore, that it was only necessary to formally
confirm your verbal assurance and issue the proper instructions to
the local officials, so that I might instruct the consul of the
United States to again assume jurisdiction of the concession. For
nearly a month I have been waiting for this, and I regret that I am
constrained to again call the attention of your excellency to the
matter and request its early determination.
I improve the opportunity, etc.,
[Inclosure 4.]
Earl Li to Mr.
Conger.
F. O. No. 272.]
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt just now of your
excellency’s note concerning the desire of your Government to have
the concession at Tientsin which was surrendered restored to them
and to have the local officials instructed to make the transfer,
etc.
With regard to this case, we some time since received the
instructions of the board of foreign affairs, and already on the
17th and 20th (September 29 and October 2) wrote to the taotai
appointed to inquire into concession affairs at Tientsin, Mr. Chien
Jung, directing him to investigate, deliberate, and decide upon the
matter and to send a reply. We also clearly stated to him that the
concession in question is situated between the English and German
concessions, covering the whole plot of ground situated there and
extending from the Peiho to the Taku road, and that since your
Government was anxious to have the transfer made quickly, he ought
to [Page 58] consult with the English
and German consuls, and then, according to the old boundaries, turn
the territory over to the control of your honorable country, all of
which would be perfectly just, which is a matter of record.
Up to the present there has been no reply from Ch’ien, taot’ai, as to
his compliance with these orders, and I have sent further
instructions, urging him to make haste in dealing with the matter
and send reply. Aside from this, as in duty bound, I send your
excellency this reply, and have the honor to wish your excellency
all prosperity.
Card inclosed.
Eighth moon, 26th day
(October 8, 1901).
[Inclosure 5.]
Mr. Conger to
Earl Li.
Legation of the United States,
Pekin
,
October 9, 1901
.
F. O. No. 294.]
Your Excellency: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note of yesterday,
concerning the recession to the United States of its former
concession in Tientsin, in which your excellency says you have
instructed the taot’ai, Mr. Ch’ien, to consult with the English and
German consuls before acting in the matter.
I am greatly surprised at this, for it is entirely a matter between
China and the United States, in which other governments have no
concern, and should be settled without reference to them. Your
excellency has not deemed it necessary to consult the United States
in regard to concessions granted to other powers in Tientsin, and I
fail to see why an exception should be made in this case, by
inviting interference, which is wholly unnecessary, can not be
allowed by the United States, and may lead to annoying
complications.
I avail, etc.,
[Inclosure 6.]
Earl Li to Mr.
Conger.
I have just seen the customs taot’ai, Huang Chien-hang who tells me
that the old American concession at Tientsin was really not divided
and given to the British and Germans, but in fact was bought by the
China Merchants’ Steam Navigation Company and the Chinese
Engineering and Mining Company for the use of their respective
companies. I have directed the taot’ai, Huang, to have personal
interview and come to some satisfactory arrangement.
In sending this I have the honor to wish your excellency all
prosperity.
Card inclosed.
Eighth moon, 28th day
(October 10, 1901).
