File No. 493.11a/10.
The American Consul General at Hankow to the Secretary of State.
Hankow, March 25, 1911.
Sir: I have the honor to report that I have received from representatives of the Viceroy, and transmitted to the respective American claimants, the sum of 53,148.54 Hankow taels, in payment of their claims for indemnity on account of the Changsha riots in April, 1910.
In the course of the negotiations with the Viceroy’s representatives, from figures supplied by them an error was committed whereby the total was agreed upon as 53,934.58 taels, and it was not discovered until after the money had been received, when the surplus of 786.04 taels was immediately returned to them. From the pleased surprise which they showed I should say the incident has tended to increase their respect for the fairness of Americans in such matters. Duplicates of the receipts from the claimants and for the money returned to the Taotais1 are inclosed herewith.
I have, etc.,
- Not printed.↩