Mr. Conger to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, May 29,
1903.
No. 1308.]
Sir: I have the honor to confirm your telegram
of the 18th instant, and my reply of the 28th.
Prince Ch’ing, because of his own illness and the death of a favorite
son, has been on leave and inaccessible since the receipt of your
telegram; but I have had a couple of conferences with Mr. Lien-fang,
principal secretary of the foreign office, who sees his highness every
day and practically speaks for him. He has reiterated on his own
account, and in the name of the Prince, that the Chinese Government was
willing, and would herself open the Manchurian ports. * * *
He says, speaking for the Wai Wu Pu, that the ministers think we ought to
be satisfied with this verbal note, and not insist upon their putting it
too plainly in writing. * * *
I inclose copies of the correspondence with the foreign office on the
subject.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Mr. Conger to
Prince Ch’ing.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, May
20, 1903.
F. O., No. 500.]
Your Highness: In view of the fact that the
Government of the United States believes that the importance of
general commerce, and of its trade in Manchuria in particular,
requires the opening of additional ports therein to foreign trade,
and justifies its insistence that these places be named in the
treaty now being negotiated by commissioners of our two Governments
at Shanghai, and because of conflicting statements as to the reasons
why the Chinese Government finds it difficult to open such places at
present, I have the honor, by specific direction of my Government,
to ask your highness to inform me what are the real objections of
the Chinese
[Page 62]
Government to
complying with the request of the United States in this regard, and
what it proposes instead.
That the negotiations may not be inconveniently delayed, and that the
cordial, frank, and mutually friendly understanding between our two
Governments may continue, I confidently trust that your highness
will give me a clear and specific reply as soon as possible.
I improve the occasion to renew, etc.,
[Inclosure 2.]
The Foreign Office to
Mr. Conger.
F. O., No. 489.]
We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s
note, saying that with regard to the opening of further treaty ports
in the three eastern provinces you had been directed by your
Government to request Prince Ch’ing to clearly state to you the
reason for not agreeing to the request of your Government, and also
to inform you what our Government was proposing to do in the matter
instead.
We find that in the matter of the ports in Manchuria, China has not
decidedly opposed what your honorable country has requested, but it
is necessary to take into consideration the condition of commercial
affairs. China will herself in the future open such ports. At
present it is still inconvenient to insert it in the treaty. As in
duty bound we send this reply for your excellency’s information, and
that you may transmit it to your honorable Government, for which we
shall be grateful.
In sending this reply we avail ourselves, etc.
Cards inclosed.
Fourth moon, 28th day. (May 24,
1903.)
[Inclosure 3.]
The Foreign Office to
Mr. Conger.
F. O., No. 490.]
We have the honor to say that yesterday your excellency came to our
yamen, and in conversation said that the reply recently sent by us
concerning the matter of opening further ports in Manchuria was not
clear in its meaning, and you requested that you might have another
and more detailed reply so that you might be able to transmit it to
your Government.
With regard to this matter, some time ago we received from M. de
Plançon, chargé d’affaires for Russia, a dispatch saying:
“If China does not first notify our Government she must not make
arrangements to open any new trade ports in Manchuria, nor permit
the establishment of foreign consulates at new ports.”
Our board objected and refused to discuss the matter. We also
received an inquiry from M. de Plançon, the chargé d’affaires, in a
personal interview, and again our board replied to him that, with
respect to Manchuria, should it in the future become, necessary to
open ports for international trade there and notify the various
foreign powers to appoint consuls, it would rest with China to
investigate the conditions, and, as circumstances might require, to
take the matter into consideration herself and open the ports.
We also clearly said that this statement was made with the purpose of
mutual explanation, and was not by any means the discussion of a
convention.
Now, having received your excellency’s statement referred to above,
the Chinese Government in the matter of opening ports in Manchuria
is still obliged to take into consideration the condition of
commercial affairs and herself in the future open such ports. At the
present time it is not convenient to mention the matter in the
commercial treaty, and this is not by any means an absolute refusal
of the request of your honorable country.
We send this second special note to your excellency for your
information, and avail ourselves, etc.
Cards inclosed.
Fifth moon, 1st day. (May 27,
1903.)
[Page 63]
[Inclosure 4.]
Mr. Conger to
Prince Ch’ing.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, May
29, 1903.
F. O., No. 502.]
Your Highness: On the the 20th instant I
had the honor to send a note to your highness asking, by direction
of my Government, for a written statement from the Chinese
Government of its objections to complying with the request of the
United States for opening new localities in Manchuria to foreign
trade.
I now have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of two notes from
their excellencies, the ministers of the Wai-wu Pu, of the 24th and
27th instants, in reply thereto.
It is greatly to be regretted that their excellencies have omitted
from these notes the principal reason for not opening the ports,
which has been so distinctly stated by your highness and their
excellencies here, as well as by the Chinese treaty commissioners in
Shanghai.
I have informed my Government of the contents of these notes, and I
fear it will be greatly disappointed with the written statement
which has, at its request, been furnished by the Chinese
Government.
I improve the opportunity, etc.,
