Mr. Hay to Mr. Conger.
(Mr. Hay answers Mr. Conger’s telegram of the 21st, stating that the United States Government favors the second proposition in Mr. Conger’s telegram of the 6th, but does not wish to embarrass the general negotiations by insisting upon it. He states that if Mr. Conger means by the suggestion in the last paragraph of his telegram of the 6th the contingency of separate conventions between China and the powers agreeing to the three conditions, this Government thinks for China to suppose such separate treaties possible might seriously obstruct the general convention upon points concerning which all the powers are agreed. He adds that a general convention is of the first importance, and that when concluded each power has, of course, liberty to negotiate upon any points not therein expressed.)