File No. 14911/97–98.
The Chinese Minister
to the Secretary of State.
Imperial Chinese Legation,
Washington, May 3,
1909.
No. 30.]Sir: I have the honor to inclose a
translation of an imperial message from His Majesty the Emperor of
China to His Excellency the President of the United States of
America. I thank you to forward it to its high destination.
Accept, sir, etc.,
[Page 217]
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
The Emperor of
China to the President of the
United States.
Greeting: Your Excellency has appointed
Hon. W. W. Rockhill, your minister at our court, as special
envoy recently to pay respects to the remains of Their Imperial
Majesties the late Empress Dowager and the Emperor, and to
attend the imperial funeral of the latter. In thus designating a
special envoy to our court to convey to us your sympathies on
the occasion of our national bereavements Your Excellency has
given a fresh manifestation of the friendly ties between the two
nations. We appreciate deeply Your Excellency’s action and are
grateful for it. From now on there will be a still closer
friendship and relationship between the two countries. We send
Your Excellency this imperial message to express our thanks and
to wish Your Excellency’s happiness may be prolonged and peace
may be enjoyed by the two nations.
Peking, 18th day, third
moon, first year of Hsuant’ung (May 2,
1909).
