Foreign Relations of the United States, 1901, Appendix, Affairs in China, Report of William W. Rockhill, Late Commissioner to China, with Accompanying Documents

Mr. Rockhill to Mr. Hay.

No. 119.]

Commissioner of the United States to China,
Peking, China, June 18, 1901.

Sir: In my dispatch No. 109, of the 6th instant, I transmitted to you the correspondence exchanged between the representatives of the powers and the Chinese plenipotentiaries concerning the suspension of examinations. The only obstacle to a final and satisfactory settlement was, I therein stated, the question of the suspension of metropolitan examinations, which are always held in Peking.

This obstacle has been removed by the publication of a decree of the Emperor suspending all examinations in Peking and in the metropolitan prefecture (Shun-t’ien Fu). I inclose a translation of a dispatch addressed by Prince Ching and Li Hung-chang to the doyen of the diplomatic corps, giving the text, of the decree.

I understand that it is the intention of the Chinese Government to hold the metropolitan examinations, during the time Peking is closed, in some provincial capital—preferable at K’ai-feng Fu.

I am, etc.,

W. W. Rockhill.

[Inclosure.—Translation.]

The Chinese Plenipotentiaries to Mr. de Cologan.

Peking, June 13, 1901.

Your Excellency: We have the honor to inform your excellency that we have received a telegram from Si-an, announcing that on the 11th instant the grand secretariat received the following decree:

“Prince Ching and Li Hung-chang memorialized Us to-day in regard to the demand of the foreign representatives that all official examinations—civil and military—shall be suspended for a period of five years in the towns where trouble occurred. The memorialists state that the examinations in Shun Tien Fu and Tai Yuan Fu must also be suspended.

“The list gives the following places, and in these all examinations are to be suspended for five years.

• “Shansi: T’ai Yuan Fu, Hsin Chou, Tai Ku Hsien, Ta Tung Fu, Fen Chou Fu, Hsiao I Hsien, Ch’u Wo Hsien, Ta Ning Hsien, Ho Ching Hsien, Yueh Yang Hsien, Hsieh Ping Fu, Wen Shui Hsien, Shou Yang Hsien, Ping Yang Fu, Chang Tzu Hsien, Kao Ping Hsien, Tse Chou Fu, Hsi Chou, Chiang Chou, Kuei Hua Cheng, and Sui Yuan Cheng.
• “Honan: Nan Yang Fu, Ho Nei Hsien, Cheng Chou, Kuang Chou, and Chen Chou.
• “Chekiang: Chu Chou Fu.
• “Chihli: Peking, Shun Tien Fu, Pao Ting Fu, Yung Ching Hsien, Tien Ching Fu, Shun-Tê Fu, Wang Tu Hsien, Huo Lu Hsien, Hsin An Hsien, Tung Chou, Wu I Hsien, Ching Chou, and Luan Ping Hsien.
• “Eastern Manchurian provinces: Mukden, Chia Tzu Chang, Lien Shan, Yu Ching Chieh, Pei Lin Tzu, and Hu Lan Cheng.
• “Shensi: Nin Chiang Chou.
• “Kiangsi: Po Yang Hsien.
• “Hunan: Heng Chou Fu.

“Let the viceroys and governors of the above-mentioned provinces, as well as the literary chancelors, act in accordance with and obey the terms of this decree and put out proclamations for general information.”

As in duty bound, we send this communication, embodying the above decree, to your excellency, and will thank you to communicate the same for the information of your colleagues.