It is expected that an Imperial edict, ordering the carrying out of the
reforms suggested by the foreign representatives, will be shortly
issued.
[Inclosure 1 in No.
131.—Translation.]
Mr. de Cologan to
the Chinese Plenipotentiaries.
Highness and Excellency: According to the terms
of article 12 of the Joint Note, His Majesty the Emperor of China
pledged himself “To reform the office of foreign affairs on the lines
which the powers shall indicate.” I have the honor to inform you by this
dispatch of the conclusions reached on this subject by my
colleagues.
Having established the fact that the Tsungli Yamen has in the forty years
of its existence abundantly demonstrated its incapacity to discharge the
duties devolving upon it, the representatives of the powers have thought
it necessary to substitute for it for the good of China and the
harmonious relations between the Empire and foreign Governments an
organization analogous to those existing in other countries.
They have thought it essential to give to the future office of foreign
affairs all the guarantees of competence, regularity, promptitude, and
wise administration, lacking which the former one has demonstrated its
incapacity, and without which the new one could not respond to its real
purpose.
They have not had less in mind to place in the high position which
belongs to it in the Empire the board whose mission it is to settle, in
the name of the Emperor, questions which should occupy the first rank in
the preoccupations of China.
The representatives of the powers think, in the first place, that the
duties previously intrusted to the Tsungli Yamen were divided among a
too large number of personages, and that it is necessary to substitute
for the too divided and intangible responsibilities a more effective and
more direct responsibility.
They are of opinion that the Office of foreign affairs should have at its
head a single minister, whose rank, influence, and power correspond with
the exigencies of his situation. This minister shall have the title of
“President of the Office of Foreign Affairs,” should be a prince (Wang)
or a duke (Kung), and should consequently belong to the Imperial family.
He shall have two assistants, one of whom shall be chosen from among the
members of the Grand Council (Chun-Chi Chü), and the other shall have at
least the personal rank of president of one of the ministries or boards
(Pu). These three shall have exclusive charge of the direct relations
with the foreign diplomatic agents. They shall receive, each of them, a
salary in conformity with the high functions with which they will be
invested and in conformity with the usages obtaining in all civilized
countries. They shall receive, either separately or the three together,
the diplomatic agents who shall have to treat, in the name of their
Governments, business with China. When the business shall be of a
particularly important nature and the diplomatic agents shall express
the wish, the president of the Bureau of foreign affairs shall assist
personally, either alone or with his assistants, at the interviews asked
for. For it is only on account of the probable multiplicity of his
occupations and because his other obligations as member of the Imperial
family may prevent him from devoting all his time to his ministry, that
two collaborators are given him, but in reality it is he who has in the
conduct of affairs the principal duty and responsibility. It is his name
alone and his address which shall appear on the official correspondence
of the diplomatic agents, and his two colleagues, who have rank and
titles inferior to his, have particularly as their duty to treat current
business, while having nevertheless quality to treat the others.
The name of Tsungli Yamen, which recalls unpleasant memories and which
does not express sufficiently well the importance and the authority of
the power on which devolve under the responsibility of the order of the
Sovereign the highest functions in the state, is done away with. It
shall be replaced in virtue of an Imperial decree by that of Wai-wu Pu,
and in the order of official precedence the Wai-wu Pu shall pass before
the six Boards of Tribunals.
It is desirable that the three members of the Wai-wu Pu shall have as
extended
[Page 274]
a knowledge as
possible of international questions and of the methods in vogue of
settling them in civilized countries. So as to have under this last
point of view an additional guarantee, it will be necessary that, under
the orders of the three members of the Wai-wu Pu, there shall be, with
the title of chief of bureau, two officials capable by their experience
and their personal competency to place the administration to which they
are associated in more complete harmony than was the Tsungli Yamen with
analogous organizations existing abroad. It would also be desirable that
one of these two high functionaries should know an European
language.
Such are the conditions laid down by the representatives of the powers
for the reform of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Empire, and I
have the honor to request of your highness and your excellency to be
pleased to solicit from His Majesty the Emperor of China the necessary
measures to put the same into effect.
I avail myself, etc.,
[Inclosure 3 in No.
131.—Translation.]
Chinese plenipotentiaries
to Mr. de Cologan.
Your Excellency: On the 29th of June we had the
honor to receive a communication from your excellency in which you
stated that in a letter dated the 22d of April, which you sent in the
name of the foreign representatives, you informed us of the conditions
laid down by them for the reform of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the
Empire, and you desire to know what action had been taken of this
communication.
In reply, we beg to say that on receipt of the communication referred to
we at once presented a special memorial to the throne on the subject,
and a rescript was issued ordering the Governmental Administrative Board
together with the Board of Civil Office to take the question into
consideration and report.
Generally speaking, the recommendations of the foreign representatives
will not be altered, but there are minute details to be decided, and
when this is done we will at once communicate with your excellency upon
the subject. In the meantime we send this reply for your excellency’s
information.
