Mr. Rockhill to Mr.
Hay.
No. 141.]
Commissioner of
the United States to China,
Peking,
China, July 25,
1901.
Sir: In further reference to the question of the
suspension of examinations and as supplementing my dispatch No. 119, of June
18, I have the honor to transmit copies of correspondence recently exchanged
between the diplomatic corps and the Chinese plenipotentiaries.
In my dispatch No. 109 I expressed the hope that the British minister would
not insist on the total suspension of the metropolitan examinations, which
are held in Peking. The reference to the subject of these examinations in
the note of the 19th instant of the dean of-the diplomatic corps to the
Chinese plenipotentiaries is as vague as the terms of the Imperial edict of
June 11 on the subject, which we had accepted as satisfactorily disposing of
the matter. The British minister takes it that by the terms of this edict
the metropolitan examinations are absolutely prohibited; the other members
of the conference
[Page 282]
are not willing
to press the subject, and prefer not to force an interpretation of the
edict, especially as the majority is satisfied that these examinations
should only be closed to candidates from provinces in which foreigners were
killed or maltreated during last year’s troubles.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
141.—Translation.]
Mr. de Cologan to
the Chinese Plenipotentiaries.
Your Highness and Your Excellency: I have the
honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated the 13th of June, in
which you inform us of the terms of an imperial decree suspending
examinations in a certain number of localities.
This decree is quite in conformity with the request which the
representatives of the powers had instructed me to place before you.
Article X of the collective note states that the decree suspending the
examinations shall be posted throughout the whole Empire. I request your
highness and your excellency, in the name of the representatives of the
powers, to take the necessary measures so that that formality may be
complied with without delay.
I avail, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
141.—Translation.]
Prince Ching and Li
Hung-chang, etc., to Mr. de
Cologan.
Your Excellency: On the 2d of July we had the
honor to receive a communication from your excellency in which you say
that as regards the suspension of all examinations where trouble
occurred, Article X of the Joint Note states that a decree suspending
the examinations shall be posted through the whole Empire. Your
excellency requests us, in the name of the representatives of the
powers, to take the necessary measures so that that formality may be
complied with without delay.
In reply, we would beg to observe that in the matter of the suspensions
of examinations, there are still three points that remain unsettled:
- 1.
- The metropolitan examinations at Peking. We asked that these
should be exempt from the prohibition, but on the 30th of June
we received your excellency’s communication in reply, in which
you stated that it was necessary to take this matter into
careful consideration. At the present moment we are not aware
whether the matter has been clearly investigated or not.
- 2.
- Ho-chien Fu in Chihli. It appears that no foreigners were
massacred or cruelly treated there, and the prohibition should
not include this place. In the communication of the 30th of June
your excellency also stated that this matter must await an
investigation by the foreign representatives, when your
excellency would address us on the subject. No reply, however,
has been received.
- 3.
- On the 2d of July we addressed your excellency a communication
stating that the governor of Honan had telegraphed us to the
effect that at the following places (five) in Honan, namely,
Nan-yang Fu, Kuang-chou Fu, Chen-chou Fu, Cheng Chou, and
Ho-nei, no foreigners were massacred or subjected to cruel
treatment, and the examinations there should not be suspended.
To this communication we have also not been favored with a
reply.
We have the honor, therefore, to request your excellency to bring the
above questions to the notice of the foreign representatives so that
they may speedily consider them and an early reply be sent us, to the
end that we may again memorialize the Throne, asking the issuance of a
decree to be posted throughout the Empire in accordance with the terms
of the Joint Note.
[Page 283]
[Inclosure 3 in No.
141.—Translation.]
Mr. De Cologan to
the Chinese Plenipotentiaries.
Highness, Excellency: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of the note which you sent me under date of the
10th of July, and in which you tell me that there still remains, as
regards the suspension of examinations, three points to be settled, to
wit:
- 1.
- The metropolitan examinations at Pekin;
- 2.
- Examinations at Ho-chien Fu, in which place you assure me that
no foreigner was killed or maltreated, and
- 3.
- Examinations in the five localities in the province of Honan,
to wit: Nan-yang Fu, Kuang Chou, Chen-chou Fu, Cheng Chou, and
Ho-nei.
In reply I have the honor to observe that Ho-chien Fu was not mentioned
in the Imperial decree of the 11th of June, which you transmitted to me
in your letter of the 13th of June, and which the representatives of the
powers accepted in a letter of the 1st of July.
As a consequence, the foreign representatives have no objections to the
examinations in this city being held as in the past.
As to the five localities in Honan, in which, according to the governor
of that province, no foreigner was massacred or maltreated, the foreign
representatives, considering that it results from precise information
which they have received that foreigners were cruelly treated at
Nan-yang Fu and Kuang Chou, insist on the suspension of examinations in
these two localities, whereas for the three others (Chen-chou Fu, Cheng
Chou, and Ho-nei Hsien) they agree, in a spirit of conciliation, that
examinations shall not be suspended.
As regards the metropolitan examinations, the foreign representatives
direct me to inform you that they must refer to the terms of the
Imperial decree of the 11th of June, which they have recognized as
satisfactory by the letter of their dean of the 1st of July.
I avail myself, etc.,
