Mr. Rockhill to Mr.
Hay.
No. 80.]
Commissioner of
the United States to China,
Peking,
China, May 6,
1901.
Sir: For your information in connection with my
Nos. 69 and 74, of April 16 and 26, respectively, concerning the handing
over to the
[Page 154]
Chinese
plenipotentiaries of the archives of the Tsungli Yamen, I have the honor to
inclose herewith copy of certain correspondence, from which it will be seen
that the yamen and archives were duly transferred to Prince Ching and Li
Hung-chang on the 1st instant.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure 1, with dispatch No.
80.]
Mr. Rockhill to
Prince Ching and Li
Hung-chang.
Commissioner of the United States to China,
Peking, April
16, 1901.
Your Highness and Your Excellency: I have much
pleasure in informing your highness and your excellency that the foreign
representatives, on my submitting to them your request that the archives
of the Tsungli Yamen be handed over to you, have agreed to comply with
this request.
The seals of the various legations having been put on the rooms and
bureaus containing the archives, it is desired that the seals be removed
by the Chinese officials in the presence of an officer deputed by each
legation, after which the archives can be removed elsewhere.
I will be pleased to be informed at least three days beforehand of the
time it will suit you to take possession of the archives, so that the
necessary orders can be issued by the German military authorities, who
have charge of the Tsungli Yamen buildings.
I avail myself of this occasion to convey to your highness and your
excellency the assurance of my distinguished consideration.
W. W. Rockhill,
United States Commissioner to
China.
[Inclosure 2, with dispatch No.
80.—Translation.]
Prince Ching and Li
Hung-chang to Mr. Rockhill.
We have had the honor to receive your excellency’s communication of the
16th instant, wherein you say that the foreign representatives, on your
submitting to them our request that the archives of the Tsungli Yamen be
handed over to us, have complied with this request, etc.
In reply, we have to express to your excellency our sincere thanks for
the kindness you have shown in bringing this matter to the attention of
the foreign representatives. But the archives of the Tsungli Yamen are
very numerous, and the important documents should be selected, examined,
and looked over, and even then it can not be avoided omitting some of
them: To remove all the archives from the yamen and store them would be
very inconvenient.
We have the honor, therefore, to request your excellency to do your best
and bring this matter before your colleagues in a friendly way, asking
their consent to the Tsungli Yamen buildings and the archives being
handed over to us at an early date. This will enable us to forthwith
examine and look over the archives and thus avoid the public business
being interferred with. If the foreign representatives give their
consent, after receiving your excellency’s reply we will address their
excellencies, begging them to fix a time for handing over to us the
yamen and the archives. This we earnestly pray for.
[Inclosure 3, with dispatch No.
80.—Translation.]
Prince Ching and Li
Hung-chang to Mr. Rockhill.
Your Excellency: In the matter of handing over
to us the archives of the Tsungli Yamen and the buildings, some time ago
we requested your excellency to submit the question to the foreign
representatives, which is a matter of record.
On the 27th of April we had the honor to receive from the German
minister, Dr. von Mumm, a note in which he stated that he had fixed the
1st of May as the
[Page 155]
time for
handing over to us the yamen and archives. We therefore deputed officers
to act with those appointed by the foreign representatives. The archives
were duly checked and handed over to us, together with the buildings,
excepting the printing office and machinery of the Tung-wen Kuan, which
the German Government retains temporarily for its use.
We feel very grateful for the kindness your excellency has shown in this
matter, and address this note to you to express our thanks.
(Cards of Prince Ching and Li Hung-chang, with compliments.)
