Foreign Relations of the United States, 1901, Appendix, Affairs in China, Report of William W. Rockhill, Late Commissioner to China, with Accompanying Documents
Mr. Rockhill to Mr. Hay.
Peking, China, August 8, 1901.
Sir: For your information in connection with my No. 116, of June 13 last, on the subject of the diplomatic quarter, I have the honor to inclose herewith copies of certain correspondence between the dean of the diplomatic corps and the Chinese plenipotentiaries, from which it will be seen that this matter has been brought to a satisfactory conclusion.
I am, sir, etc.,
Mr. de Cologan to the Chinese Plenipotentiaries.
Highness, Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th of June, concerning which I have been directed by my colleagues to make you the following observations:
First. The ministers of Austria-Hungary, of Italy, and of France have already stated to you that the east boundary of the diplomatic quarter was fixed and maintained at Ketteler street (Hata men street), and that the 100 feet to the west of the Hata men gate indicate the extreme limit of our occupation on the wall of the Tartar City, and have nothing in common with the limits on the street. This is what I had the honor to confirm to you in my letter of the 28th of May. It is, therefore, well understood that all the ground situated to the west of Ketteler street and starting from the foot of the wall is comprised in the diplomatic quarter.
There has never been any question, as you seem to think, about making a new public road; traffic on that siete is to be limited to Ketteler street. I may add that it is on this condition that the diplomatic corps has consented to relinquish the occupation [Page 295] of the Hata men gate and to withdraw the limit of its occupation on the wall to 100 feet to the west of said gate.
Second. The foreign representatives are satisfied with your declarations concerning the western boundary, with the reservation that the public highway is not to be enlarged beyond its present limits, and that the boundary of the quarter is at 40 meters to the west of this public highway and extends northward to the foot of the wall of the Imperial City.
His excellency the minister of Russia having consented to give up the two ministries situated to the west of the present limit of the legation quarter, under reserve that a lot should be given to Monsignor Favier, desires to inform you that, as a result of an understanding reached, Monsignor Favier is to obtain the ground to the north of the legation street, starting from the corner of the street Fu Kuei Chieh, in close proximity to the Board of Rites.
Third. As to the south limit, I inform you that in my letter of May 28 it was indicated by a line drawn at the foot of the wall along the south side, so that the part of the wall corresponding to the diplomatic quarter is comprised in it; consequently the foreign powers reserve to themselves the right to maintain on its police stations while binding themselves not to construct on it buildings which may change the exterior aspect of the wall.
You state in your letter of the 16th of June that on this point you agree with the representatives of the powers; consequently it is well understood that on the summit of the wall, from a point situated 100 feet to the west of the Hata men to a point, A, to the east of the Chien men, marked on the plan which you have in your possession, the policing shall be done exclusively by the legation guards, and-that it will only be lawful to build on them the shelters necessary for those guards, in the style of those which existed formerly, so that the exterior aspect of the wall shall not be changed.
Fourth. As to the northern limit, in my letter of the 28th of May I informed you that the French minister had approved of your declaration by which this limit shall be at a distance of 80 meters from the Stuart road to the Viale d’Italia (Chang-ngan Chieh), and that these streets shall remain open to horses and wagons. It is to be well understood that traffic shall only be allowed in the present Chang-ngan street On the 80 meters to the north and on the 40 meters to the south of this street traffic is prohibited, and no buildings shall be put up thereon. Therefore, as I wrote to you in my above-mentioned letter of the 28th of May, the diplomatic corps cannot authorize the building of police stations on this ground, which is to remain absolutely free from all buildings; but it leaves the Chinese police at liberty to patrol Chang-ngan Chieh street to enforce the police regulations of the diplomatic quarter, of which a copy will be sent you shortly. You will be at liberty to build houses for these police agents outside of the northern boundary of this zone.
The above explanations agree with the previous declarations of the ministers of Austria-Hungary, Italy, and of France, as well as with my previous communications on the same subject. They introduce no modifications.
As to the last part of your letter, concerning the exterior wall of the Imperial City, the diplomatic corps reserves to itself to write to you ulteriorly on the subject.
I avail myself, etc.,
Mr. de Cologan to the Chinese Plenipotentiaries.
Highness, Excellency: In further reference to my letter of the 29th of June, concerning the limits of the diplomatic quarter, I have the honor to inform you that his excellency the minister of Great Britain, no longer insisting on the destruction of the portion of the exterior wall of the Imperial City situated to the north of his legation, the foreign representatives have no objection to that wall being left standing.
Agreement on the questions concerning the limits of the diplomatic quarter having thus been reached, I beg your highness and your excellency to confirm this to me in reply to my letter of the 29th of June.
I avail myself, etc.,
Prince Ching and Li-hung Chang to Mr. de Cologan
Your Excellency: On the 30th June last we had the honor to receive your excellency’s communication in regard to the limits of the diplomatic quarter. The views presented by your excellency are in accord with the understanding arrived at with the foreign representatives.
In the concluding paragraph, however, having reference to the outer Imperial wall, you state that the foreign representatives will again address us on the subject. We have, in consequence, been waiting for their reply, when we would again address your excellency, terminating this question.
We now learn that the British minister, Sir Ernest Satow, has agreed to rebuild the portions of the outer imperial wall which have been opened, and the question may therefore be regarded as settled.
In sending this reply to your excellency we beg that you will communicate it for the information of the foreign representatives.