Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 6, 1904

Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay.

American Legation,
Peking, China, February 10, 1904.

No. 1500.]

Sir: I have the honor to confirm my telegram of to-day and to inclose a copy of the identic telegram sent by the several ministers to their respective governments.

This action was made known to me by the ministers taking part, but it was not thought best to ask those who had no troops stationed along the line to join therein.

It is believed here that the Japanese will readily agree to the suggestion made. I am sure, however, that such a limitation of the sphere of war would be most beneficial.

I have on several occasions recently improved the opportunity to impress upon the Chinese Government the very serious consequences that would result if at any time the court should become frightened and leave Peking; saying to them that should the court flee from the capital, anarchy would at once be installed here, unless prevented by the foreign legation guards, and that respect for the authority of the court would be very much lessened in all parts of the Empire, and imperial decrees would be much less potent when issued by a fleeing court from another point than its usual seat of government.

The ministers agreed with me, and said that the court had no intention of leaving, and that all the members of the cabinet and grand council would at all times impress this view upon their imperial majesties, and they believed that they could be induced to remain here whatever might happen.

I have, etc.,

E. H. Conger.

[Inclosure.]

Identic telegram of the representatives of France, England, Germany, and Italy.

The ministers of the powers whose troops occupy various points in Tchili from Peking to Shanhankwan, that is to say, England, France, Germany, and Italy, have been considering the incidents and perhaps conflicts which might eventually arise if the forces of one of the belligerents were to enter Tchili. They have also taken into consideration the fact that China has announced her decision to observe neutrality; that as the occupation resulting from the protocol imposes on China the obligation to keep her own troops at a distance from occupied points, the obligation to insure the neutrality of these points would devolve upon the foreign troops stationed there. Consequently we have agreed to ask our respective governments if they would not deem it advisable, in order to avoid all difficulties, to suggest to the belligerents that they declare that they will avoid sending their troops into Tchili. This step would, moreover, have the advantage of reassuring the imperial court and of preventing the government from fleeing in a moment of panic, a contingency which might easily involve the most serious consequences throughout the whole of China.