No. 297.
Mr. Dinsmore to Mr. Bayard.
[Extract.]
Legation of
the United States,
Seoul
Corea, November 11, 1887. (Received
December 22.)
No. 71.]
Sir: As reported to you in my dispatch of October
15, 1887 (No. 63), lion. O. N. Denny, vice-president of the Corean home
office and foreign adviser to the King, left Seoul some days before that
date for Tientsin, the place of the Viceroy Li Hung Chang’s official
residence. He returned after an absence of some two weeks, and shortly after
his arrival in Seoul I was invited, with Mr. Woeber, the Russian chargé
d’affaires, by Mr. Denny to an interview with him upon the subject of the
missions which His Majesty the King of Corea has undertaken to establish in
the United States and in Europe. At this interview Mr. Denny kindly gave us
a history of his conference with the Viceroy Li, at Tientsin, upon the
subject of the missions already referred to, as well as the proposed opening
of a port by the Government of Corea at Pyong An, in the north of Corea,
which is greatly needed to develop and enlarge the commerce of the country
and prevent the extensive smuggling that is practiced in that part of the
Kingdom, principally by Chinese.
The position of the viceroy in behalf of China and of the Tsung-li Yamên as
expressed by him is substantially as I have reported to you hitherto,
namely, that China’s permission should first have been sought and
obtained.
In this connection I have the honor to inclose a translation of a
communication made by Yuan Sii Kwai on the 21st ultimo to the Corean foreign
office, setting forth the language of a telegram received by him from the
viceroy Li Hung Chang reporting the orders telegraphed to him by the Peking
Government, expressing assent to the establishment of legations abroad with
ministers resident only, and upon compliance with certain supposed forms,
but arguing against it.
I have the pleasure to inform you that the minister will sail from Chemulpo
on the 13th instant on the U. S. S. Omaha, for
Nagasaki, at which port he will take passage on mail steamer, via Yokohama, to the United States, and that he will
bear credentials from His Majesty the King of Corea as envoy extraordinary
and minister plenipotentiary.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 71.]
Mr. Yuan Sü Kwai to
the Corean Foreign Office.
Seoul,
Corea, October 21,
1887.
Yuan Sü Kwai makes official communication to the Corean foreign
office.
On the 21st of October I received from the viceroy Li Hung Chang a
telegram stating that on October 19 he had received instructions from
the Imperial Government of China, saying: “The Corean Government has
notified us of the circumstances of the affair, and have expressed their
disposition to obey. We are very glad. As Corea has concluded treaties
with foreign powers, the treaty powers have mutually the right to send
ministers, so if the Coreans appoint ministers and send them they may do
so. But on the other side the financial resources of Corea are not
great. Her trade is not in a prosperous condition, and the needs of the
country grow year by year, and thereby the country may become by and by
involved. If, therefore, they are going to send ministers to foreign
countries who will have but little to do, it will be
[Page 441]
necessary to increase more and more the
public expenditures; therefore if expenses are not curtailed it may
happen that it may be necessary to recall them or seek to secure loans.
The debts and the poverty will increase daily, and the Government may
not have the means to meet its liabilities. If this news should reach
foreign countries they certainly would laugh at the Corean
representatives, and thereby a spot would be placed upon the honor of
the country. Certainly they have not considered this.
“The King of Corea must look with confidence on China as his best
protector.
“The question of appointing ministers must be carefully considered from
beginning to end, and investigated with great care, and then they should
decide how to proceed. With regard to the appointment of the ministers
and their position the forms must be observed which apply to Corea as a
dependent State.
“Li Hung Chang has already reported by telegram that Corea will act
according to the regulations. At the same time Corea must address itself
to Li Hung Chang in other matters which may arise in the future, to
consult with him and obey his instructions, then all will be well.
“Besides the instructions I have received from the minister of ceremonies
I must say myself (Li Hung Chang) that when Corea has firmly decided to
send ministers, they must be ministers resident only, and in no event
ministers plenipotentiary; the rank must be of diplomatic agents of the
third class as laid down in international law, to show by this means the
difference between Corea and China. In this way I do not object. I have
told this to Mr. Denny in a personal interview that he may inform the
King.
“I hope he will inform the foreign office of the question now under
consideration.” Of the receipt of this I now inform you, asking you to
be so kind as to take it into consideration and act according to the
imperial instructions.
