No. 70.
Mr. Holcombe to Mr. Blaine
[Extract.]
Legation of
the United States,
Peking, December 16, 1881.
(Received February 13, 1882.)
No. 28.]Sir: Shortly after closing my dispatch, No. 21, in
the matter of the Danish Telegraph Company’s monopoly scheme, I learned that
the agent of the company had renewed his efforts at Tientsin to secure the
final approval of his propositions by the Chinese Government.
It therefore seemed desirable to lay before the foreign office your views
upon this subject as contained in your instructions Nos. 122 and 125, both
in order that this government might know that Mr. Angell’s course in the
premises had been approved by the Department, and also with the hope that
your opinions might have weight in deciding the course of the Chinese
Government in the matter.
Accordingly I addressed a dispatch to Prince Kung, a copy of which is
inclosed. In it, after summarizing the contents of your instructions
referred to above, I asked His Imperial Highness to inform me officially whether His Imperial Majesty had approved
the agreement made between the agent of the Danish company and Viceroy
Li.
* * * * * * *
I inclose a translation of His Imperial Highnesses reply. It is official, bearing the seal of the foreign office, and
far more satisfactory than I had reason to expect. And it declares
positively that the monopoly scheme has not been approved by this
government.
But by far the most interesting and valuable part of His Imperial Highness’s
reply is found in the second paragraph which declares that whenever an
American company shall desire to lay a telegraph cable between Japan and
China an arrangement will be made “which shall not disappoint the hopes of
the American company in the least degree.” In view of the intense and
traditional conservatism of China upon this and all kindred questions, the
importance of this concession can hardly be overestimated.
Having received such satisfactory assurances from the foreign office, I
closed the correspondence by thanking Prince Kung for the prompt and
explicit answer which he had given.
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As the German minister had acted in conjunction with this legation in this
business, I have furnished him with a copy of Prince Kung’s letter.
I beg your approval of my action in the premises.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 28.]
Mr. Holcombe to
Prince Kung
Your Imperial Highness: In reference to the
correspondence which has passed between the foreign office and Mr.
Angell, late United States minister, upon the agreement entered into
between His Excellency Li and the Great Northern Telegraph Company,
under the terms of which the Government of China agrees that, “within a
period of twenty years from date not to allow any other person to land
telegraph cables in the entire empire, including all foreign settlements
and Formosa,” it becomes my duty to inform Your Imperial Highness that
Mr. Angell forwarded copies of this correspondence to our government,
and that I am now in receipt of instructions in response. The Government
of the United States has approved the entire course of the late minister
in this business. It has further authorized me to say that such a
monopoly would be not only prejudicial to its interests, but also
contrary to its idea of the true interests of China, as the granting of
monopolies of any kind is not conducive to public good.
I shall be glad to be informed, officially, whether His Imperial Majesty
has or has not approved and confirmed the agreement referred to.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 28.]
Prince Kung to Mr.
Holcombe
Peking, December 14,
1881.
Prince Kung, Chief Secretary of State for foreign affairs, herewith makes
a communication in reply:
I have had the honor to receive your dispatch of the 8th instant
referring to the establishment of telegraph lines in China;
remarking that you were in receipt of the views of your
government upon the subject, which you were authorized to give
to me; and requesting to be officially informed whether His
Imperial Majesty has or has not approved and confirmed the
agreement entered into between His Excellency Li and the
GreatNorthern Telegraph Company.
This office has discussed this business in all its bearings with
Minister Angell, a discussion with which you are doubtless
familiar.
If hereafter the United States desire to lay a telegraph cable
from Japan to China, a satisfactory and suitable arrangement
will be made, and one which shall not disappoint the hopes of
the American company in the least degree.
As to the propositions heretofore made by the Great Northern
Telegraph Company, they were submitted by the Company to His
Excellency Li, and approved by him; but they have not been laid
before His Imperial Majesty.
His Excellency Li, in dealing with this question certainly ought
not rashly to enter into any arrangement which would not
conserve the interest of the government and people of China.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 28.]
No. 70.
Mr. Holcombe to Prince Kung
December 16,
1881.
No. 28.]Your Imperial Highness: I have had the honor to
receive Your Imperial Highness’s dispatch of the 14th instant in regard
to the agreement entered into between his excellency Li, and the Great
Northern Telegraph Company, in which your imperial highness says, “If
hereafter the United States desire to lay a telegraph cable from Japan
to China a satisfactory and suitable arrangement will be made, and one
which shall not disappoint the hopes of the American company in the
least degree; and that
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the
propositions made by the Great Northern Telegraph Company had been
approved by his excellency Li, but had not been laid before the
Throne.”
I beg leave to thank your imperial highness, both for the promptness and
the explicit language of this reply. It will be at once transmitted to
my government.
I have, &c.,
