Mr. Denby to Mr.
Olney.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, September 12,
1895. (Received Oct. 21.)
No. 2346.]Sir: In my dispatch, No. 2343, of September 9,
I inclosed a copy of my dispatch to the Tsung-li Yamên, in which I
informed the prince and ministers of the appointment of a commission
composed of American citizens to go to Chengtu and investigate the
recent riots.
I have now the honor to inclose a translation of the Yamên’s reply to my
communication. The Yamên states that the riots did not commence at the
American chapel, and says “the trouble that the American missionaries
experienced was nothing more than the result of the riotous feeling
reaching them.” No importance can be attached to this statement.
The Yamên further states that on the 1st of July an arrangement was made
for the formation of a British commission, and I am asked to act
according to my communication to the Yamên on that subject of July 1
last.
It is to be remarked here, in order to answer certain criticisms that
have been made on my conduct, that the Chinese officials who were first
named as composing a part of the British commission were not
conclusively and definitely agreed upon by the British minister to whom
I left the organization of that commission. It is to be further noted
that the proposition to organize that commission was made about one
month after the riots. At that time I did not know that any of the
Chinese officials whose names had been mentioned by the British minister
had been in anywise implicated in the riots. Had I known such a fact I
would not certainly have consented that any person so implicated should
have sat on the commission of investigation.
Hearing afterwards that there were charges made against the prefect of
Chengtu that he had favored the rioters, on the 25th of July for this
and other reasons I withdrew from the proposed commission. The Yamên
states that “the case may still be arranged by joint consultation at
Chungking.” * * *
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 2346.]
The Tsung-li Yamên to
Mr. Denby.
September 10,
1895.
No. 30.]Upon the 6th of September the prince and ministers had the honor to
receive a communication from the minister of the United States
wherein he stated that he had been ordered by his Government to
organize immediately a commission consisting of Mr. Sheridan P.
Read, United States consul at Tientsin, a naval officer of the
United States, and an American missionary to proceed to Chengtu and
there investigate the causes of the antiforeign riots in the
province of Szechuan. The minister of the United States also stated
that he was also directed to ask the prince and ministers to appoint
an official of suitable rank to accompany this commission and sit as
a member thereof, and to request that an escort be furnished for
this commission, and the officials in Szechuan be directed to afford
it every facility. An early answer was requested.
[Page 132]
The prince and ministers would state that in regard to the missionary
cases in Szechuan the riots did not commence at the American
chapels. The trouble that the American missionaries experienced was
nothing more than the result of the riotous feeling reaching
them.
On the 1st of July last the prince and ministers received a
communication from the minister of the United States, wherein he
stated that he indorsed the proposal made by Her Britannic Majesty’s
minister relating to the mode of procedure to be adopted in dealing
with the Chengtu case; that Her Britannic Majesty’s consul at
Chungking, Mr. Tratman, would take charge of American interests and
choose an American missionary to serve as commissioner with his
Chinese and British colleagues, and asked that telegraphic orders be
sent to the Chinese commissioners to hold themselves in readiness
for the inquiry.
The Yamên at the time telegraphed informing the Szechuan authorities
of their action in the premises. Special instructions have already
been issued to the taotai of the Chuan Tung circuit to confer with
the British consul in the matter of these missionary cases. They are
about to be settled, and the minister of the United States is again
asked to act according to his communication of the 1st of July and
that the case may still be arranged by joint consultation at
Chungking.
There is no need to specially depute several officers to proceed to
Chengtu, which will result in hardships of travel and thus act in
harmony with the several treaties between China and the United
States.
As in duty bound, the prince and ministers send this communication
for the information of the minister of the United States, and will
thank him to transmit the same to the honorable Secretary of
State.
