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

Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay.

[Telegram.—Paraphrase.]

Peking, January 7, 1901.

(Mr. Conger reports that the Emperor, acting upon memorial from Viceroy Chang Chih-tung, has, by decree, ordered plenipotentiaries not to formally sign the protocol embodying our demands and the decree accepting them. This is evidently done in the hope of securing better terms. Mr. Conger considers the demands as having been already accepted by a former decree transmitted to the ministers by the Chinese plenipotentiaries and shall so insist on it. Protest against the last decree has been telegraphed by Prince Ching and Earl Li.)