No. 128.
Mr. Seward
to Mr. Evarts.
Peking, September 24, 1879. (Received November 4.)
Sir: Recurring to my dispatch No. 451, I have now the honor to inform you that the representatives of all the treaty powers who are at present in China have assembled in this city. They comprise the ministers of Great Britain, Germany, the United States, Holland, Peru, Italy, and Japan, and the chargés d’affaires of Russia, Belgium, Spain, and France.
A meeting was held yesterday, at which it was decided, in the first instance, to discuss among ourselves the questions of Lekin taxes and the transit pass system, the judicial system, and official intercourse.
Committees were formed upon these subjects, under the vice-chairmanships, respectively, of Sir Thomas Wade, myself, and Mr. von Brandt—Sir Thomas Wade, as doyen, being the titular chairman of each committee.
My earlier dispatches will have indicated, I trust, with sufficient clearness [Page 142] my views upon the judicial system, and I purpose at an early moment to place before you a statement of my opinions upon the other topics mentioned.
I have, &c.,