Mr. Rockhill to Mr.
Hay.
No. 59.]
Commissioner of
the United States to China,
Peking,
China, April 11,
1901.
Sir: I have the honor to confirm the telegrams
received from and sent you on the 8th and 9th instant, respectively.
As stated in the latter, your telegrams of January 29, February 19, and March
21 seem to conflict. The first named, sent to Mr. Conger, directs that “in
case of protracted disagreement over the indemnity you will propose that the
matter be submitted to arbitration,” etc.; the second, also to Mr. Conger,
“if an agreement for distribution should seem impracticable at Peking
without great delay, suggest Hague arbitration,” and the third directs me to
endeavor (1) to have the total indemnity kept within the limit of
£40,000,000; (2) that it be demanded in a lump sum, proportionate
distribution to be settled among the powers, and if such settlement is
impossible to suggest Hague arbitration.” Your telegram of the 8th seems to
include both the amount and the distribution of the indemnity in the
question to be submitted to arbitration in case of disagreement; but to
avoid any possible misunderstanding I deemed it prudent to ask for explicit
instructions on this point.
In a circular memorandum which I sent to the various diplomatic
representatives here on the 12th of March, copy of which was inclosed in my
No. 52 of March 29 to the Department, I suggested that if it was found
impossible to come to an agreement on the question of the distribution of the indemnity in Peking the matter should be
referred to the Hague Tribunal.
I inclose herewith a copy of the declaration which I have to-day transmitted
to my colleagues urging upon them the necessity of prompt settlement of the
indemnity question on the lines indicated by you. This is, consequently, the
third time that the United States representatives have made this proposal to
the conference, and I will continue to urge it on every occasion, both in
writing and orally.
I am, sir, etc.,
[Page 128]
[Inclosure with dispatch No.
59.—Translation.]
Mr. Rockhill to
M. Pichon.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, April 10,
1901.
Monsieur le Ministre: Referring to the circular
letter of the 23d of March, by which the commission intrusted by the
diplomatic corps with ascertaining the conditions under which the
payment of indemnities which are to be demanded of China by the powers
can be made, was pleased to ask of the representatives of the powers the
amount of indemnity which their respective Governments proposed to ask
of China, I have the honor, under instructions from my Government, and
to complete the indications contained in the memorandum on this subject
which I had the honor to send you on the 20th of March, to make the
following declaration:
The Government of the United States desires, as it has repeatedly
declared during the course of the present negotiations, to see the
powers agree without further delay on a lump sum which they shall demand
as an indemnity of China. As it can not be the wish of any one of the
powers that this sum of money should exceed the power of China to pay,
it thinks that this indemnity should not be superior to £40,000,000
sterling.
This sum once paid by China should be equitably divided among the powers
proportionately to their losses and expenses, and the United States is
ready to limit its demand for indemnity to an equitable fraction of this
sum acceptable to the other powers.
My Government, I take the liberty of adding, is persuaded that the
above-indicated solution of the question of indemnity is the only one
which offers a prompt settlement, equitable and at the same time of such
a nature as to prevent delays and complications equally prejudicial to
all interests in the case.
I would be greatly obliged to you, Monsieur le Ministre, if you would
kindly submit this communication to your colleagues on the commission
and to the other representatives of the powers in Peking.
I avail myself, etc.,
