Chargé Coolidge to
the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Peking, May 27,
1905.
No. 1902.]Sir: I have the honor to confirm my telegram of
May 22 regarding restrictions imposed by the Chinese Government on
shipments of coal from Shanghai with a view to prevent the supply of
belligerent vessels, and the Department’s reply.
I inclose a translation of the note on which the telegram was based and
of the answer which I returned when instructions were received. On
receipt of the formal note from the foreign office I wired its substance
to Mr. Davidson for his information and later notified him that our
government was favorably disposed toward this measure of precaution. The
facts seemed to be that there have recently been shipments of foreign
coal from Shanghai packed in small sacks, which could be readily handled
even at sea, a condition which was unprecedented and is not justified by
any requirements of legitimate trade. The conclusion is obvious, and the
Japanese, who have taken every precaution to prevent the difficulty of
their position from being increased through the rapacity of traders and
the weakness of the local government, were probably the instigators of
this measure. It would perhaps have been a better solution of the
difficulty if it had been decreed that for the present nothing but
bunker coal should be exported from Shanghai—that is to say, that
steamers might take enough for their own supply in their own bunkers,
but that no shipment of coal as cargo would be permitted.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Prince Ch’ing to
Chargé Coolidge.
I have the honor to state that in the war which is still being waged
between Japan and Russia China is maintaining a strict neutrality.
She must, therefore, adopt strict measures to prevent war junks from
keeping up their supply of necessities. Recently there have been
some boats shipping coal from Shanghai, and as this coal is of the
best quality and is so shipped as to be very conveniently loaded or
unloaded, it was thought highly necessary to look into the matter
officially, so that nothing might happen which would result in the
breaking of China’s neutrality.
It is now proposed to let the matter be dealt with in the same manner
as was done in the case of rice and grain; that is, merchants (who
wish to ship coal) will be required to write out and put on record
at their consulates a bond, and in this bond it must be stipulated
that within forty days the Shanghai customs must receive a receipt
from the port to which the coal was shipped. In case no such receipt
is returned within the time specified a fine of five
[Page 145]
times the original price of the coal
will be collected. All coal boats will be required to follow this
rule. This will not injure the regular needs of the merchants, and
at the same time it will prevent dishonest people from keeping the
belligerents supplied with their needs.
My board telegraphed to the Shanghai customs taot’ai and communicated
with the inspector-general of customs directing him to order the
Shanghai commissioner of customs to carry out this rule. Besides
this it becomes my duty to send this dispatch to your excellency for
your information and that you may quickly telegraph to your consul
at Shanghai that he may know of the matter and act accordingly. An
anwser to this dispatch is requested. I wish to add that this is
merely a temporary measure, and when the war is over it will be
rescinded. This is clearly understood along with the new plan.
A necessary dispatch.
Kuanghsü, XXI year, 4th moon, 18th day
(May 21, 1905).
[seal.]
[Inclosure 2.]
Chargé Coolidge
to Prince Ch’ing.
American Legation,
Peking, May 24,
1905.
Your Imperial Highness: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your imperial highness’s dispatch of the
21st instant, in which your highness informs me that recently coal
has been shipped from Shanghai in a form very convenient for
handling, and that your government had decided that in order to
maintain strict neutrality and prevent supplies of coal being sent
to the belligerents it would be necessary to treat exports of coal
in a manner similar to that used with exports of grain—that is,
require shippers to deposit at their consulates written guaranties
that within forty days after shipment a receipt will reach the
Shanghai customs from the port to which the shipments are destined,
failing which a fine of five times the value of the coal will be
collected. Your imperial highness also requests me to telegraph the
American consul-general at Shanghai, informing him of this
decision.
In reply, I have the honor to inform your imperial highness that I
have already notified the American consul-general at Shanghai by
telegraph of your government’s proposed method of dealing with this
matter, and that my government is favorably disposed toward China’s
efforts to preserve neutrality in the matter of coal for belligerent
war vessels.
1 avail myself of the occasion to renew to your imperial highness the
assurance of my highest consideration.
