Mr. Rockhill to Mr. Hay.
Peking, March 22, 1901.
Sir: The question of the presentation of the ulterior list of punishments for those officials and other persons shown to have taken a direct part in the massacres of last summer was brought to-day before the diplomatic corps by the British minister, who, under instructions from his Government, is most pressing in his demands for its presentation to the Chinese Government. Prior to the meeting of the diplomatic corps the six ministers who had persons of their nationalities killed last year met to revise the lists of punishments previously prepared, and on which figure 10 demands for capital punishment. This latter list was carefully gone over and the number of such punishments reduced to four, and for the other six the punishment was commuted into that which has been inflicted on Prince Tuan and Duke Lan. All the minor demands, amounting to about 89, and which figured on the first list, were maintained. The revised list was then submitted to the whole of the diplomatic corps and it was asked whether it agreed to transmit it to the Chinese plenipotentiaries. The Russian minister reaffirmed his declaration made previously that his Government considered the question of punishments closed. All the other representatives agreed to send the demand, but as some of them declared themselves in favor of sending a joint note and others identic ones, no final agreement could be reached, and they cabled to their Governments for instruction. The British minister, who expressed himself strongly in favor of a joint note, stated that in case this was not finally agreed upon his Government reserved to itself the right to present the original demands—that is to say, for 10 capital punishments—to the Chinese Government, even if it had to do so alone.
As I telegraphed you to-day, I shall, unless otherwise instructed by you, vote in favor of a joint note. I am strongly of opinion that a demand for further punishments should be made on the Chinese Government. In the first place, because some punishment should be inflicted on a number of guilty provincial officials. * * * I have, however, stated that I will accept any form of punishment agreed upon, and will in no case insist on death penalty.
The question of a demand for punishments having been for the time laid aside, the diplomatic corps took up the discussion of a set of police regulations for the diplomatic quarter. This contemplates the organization of an international police, and provides for a number of measures which, under existing conditions here, seem to me most impracticable. [Page 113] I stated to my colleagues that if they would agree to call the section of the city which the Chinese Government has been asked to cede to the powers an international settlement and organize in it some form of municipal government I would agree to any proposition they might submit, otherwise that I must decline to agree to any arrangements such as they contemplated by the regulations under discussion. No action was taken.
A committee consisting of the British, French, German, and Japanese ministers was then appointed to consider the financial resources of China, with a view to the payment of the indemnity which will be demanded. The conference then adjourned sine die, but will probably meet about the middle of next week.
I confirm my telegram to you of this date.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,