Mr. Rockhill to Mr. Hay.
Peking, China, May 29, 1901.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your telegram of the 28th instant. * * *
To-day I was informed by the private secretary of Li Hung-chang, and the news was confirmed later in the day by several other Chinese officials attached to the staff of the Chinese plenipotentiaries, that an Imperial edict was received yesterday by Prince Ching and Li agreeing to pay an indemnity of 450,000,000 of taels and 4 per cent interest.
The other foreign representatives have also been advised by he [Page 182] Chinese of the willingness of their Government to pay the above-mentioned sum. There is, therefore, no possibility of our suggestions to either reduce the amount of the indemnity or transfer the whole question to The Hague tribunal being considered, and I shall agree to the sum of 450,000,000 as soon as I learn that it is accepted by all of my colleagues.
The sum of 450,000,000 of Haikuan taels (United States gold, $333900,000) will of course be subject to some change by the adjustment of the private claims. It represents the maximum of the sum which China acknowledges she owes the powers. All the powers, excepting the United States, have intrusted, I believe, the adjustment and determination of the amounts allowable on the claims of their nationals to their diplomatic representatives here, who will be guided by the rules adopted by the conference (the United States always excepted), a copy of which rules I transmitted to you in my dispatch No. 42.
As to our claims, I have given the figure as United States gold $25,000,000, and have stated that it covered all claims of every description. * * *
I am, etc.,