Mr. Hay to Mr. Conger. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, (Mr. Hay acknowledges Mr. Conger's telegram of the 28th instant, and instructs him to reply to the Chinese note saying that in view of China's well asserted right to open new localities to foreign trade when and where she sees fit, this Government can not for a moment admit that its most reasonable request, alike beneficial to both countries and to the commerce of the world, should be brushed aside in the manner the note suggests; that China is as well aware as this country that commercial conditions in Manchuria demand the opening of new ports, and that if China will not provide for such opening in treaty and insists on doing it proprio motu, let imperial edict be issued at once doing so. Mr. Conger is directed to impress upon the Chinese Government the painful surprise its unwillingness to comply with our request has created in the United States.) Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay. No. 1308.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Peking, May 29, 1903. SIR: I have the honor to confirm your telegram of the 18th instant, and my reply of the 28th. Prince Ch'ing, because of his own illness and the death of a favorite son, has been on leave and inaccessible since the receipt of your telegram; but I have had a couple of conferences with Mr. Lien-fang, principal secretary of the foreign office, who sees his highness every day and practically speaks for him. He has reiterated on his own account, and in the name of the Prince, that the Chinese Government was willing, and would herself open the Manchurian ports. He says, speaking for the Wai Wu Pu, that the ministers think we ought to be satisfied with this verbal note, and not insist upon their putting it too plainly in writing. I inclose copies of the correspondence with the foreign office on the subject. I have, etc., E. H. CONGER. [Inclosure 1.] Mr. Conger to Prince Ch'ing. F. O., No. 500.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, YOUR HIGHNESS: In view of the fact that the Government of the United States believes that the importance of general commerce, and of its trade in Manchuria in particular, requires the opening of additional ports therein to foreign trade, and justifies its insistence that these places be named in the treaty now being negotiated by commissioners of our two Governments at Shanghai, and because of conflicting statements as to the reasons why the Chinese Government finds it difficult to open such places at present, I have the honor, by specific direction of my Government, to ask your highness to inform me what are the real objections of the Chinese Government to complying with the request of the United States in this regard, and what it proposes instead. That the negotiations may not be inconveniently delayed, and that the cordial, frank, and mutually friendly understanding between our two Governments may continue, I confidently trust that your highness will give me a clear and specific reply as soon as possible. I improve the occasion to renew, etc., E. H. CONGER. F. O., No. 489.] [Inclosure 2.] The Foreign Office to Mr. Conger. We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency's note, saying that with regard to the opening of farther treaty ports in the three eastern provinces you had been directed by your Government to request Prince Ch'ing to clearly state to you the reason for not agreeing to the request of your Government, and also to inform you what our Government was proposing to do in the matter instead. We find that in the matter of the ports in Manchuria, China has not decidedly opposed what your honorable country has requested, but it is necessary to take into consideration the condition of commercial affairs. China will herself in the future open such ports. At present it is still inconvenient to insert it in the treaty. As in duty bound we send this reply for your excellency's information, and that you may transmit it to your honorabie Government, for which we shall be grateful. In sending this reply we avail ourselves, etc. Cards inclosed. Fourth moon, 28th day. (May 24, 1903.) F. O., No. 490.] [Inclosure 3.] The Foreign Office to Mr. Conger. We have the honor to say that yesterday your excellency came to our yamen, and in conversation said that the reply recently sent by us concerning the matter of opening further ports in Manchuria was not clear in its meaning, and you requested that you might have another and more detailed reply so that you might be able to transmit it to your Government. With regard to this matter, some time ago we received from M. de Plançon, chargé d'affaires for Russia, a dispatch saying: "If China does not first notify our Government she must not make arrangements to open any new trade ports in Manchuria, nor permit the establishment of foreign consulates at new ports." Our board objected and refused to discuss the matter. We also received an inquiry from M. de Plançon, the chargé d'affaires, in a personal interview, and again our board replied to him that, with respect to Manchuria, should it in the future become necessary to open ports for international trade there and notify the various foreign powers to appoint consuls, it would rest with China to investigate the conditions, and, as circumstances might require, to take the matter into consideration herself and open the ports. We also clearly said that this statement was made with the purpose of mutual explanation, and was not by any means the discussion of a convention. Now, having received your excellency's statement referred to above, the Chinese Government in the matter of opening ports in Manchuria is still obliged to take into consideration the condition of commercial affairs and herself in the future open such ports. At the present time it is not convenient to mention the matter in the commercial treaty, and this is not by any means an absolute refusal of the request of your honorable country. We send this second special note to your excellency for your information, and avail ourselves, etc. Cards inclosed. Fifth moon, 1st day. (May 27, 1903.) F. O., No. 502.] [Inclosure 4.] Mr. Conger to Prince Ch'ing. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, YOUR HIGHNESS: On the the 20th instant I had the honor to send a note to your highness asking, by direction of my Government, for a written statement from the Chinese Government of its objections to complying with the request of the United States for opening new localities in Manchuria to foreign trade. I now have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of two notes from their excellencies, the ministers of the Wai-wu Pu, of the 24th and 27th instants, in reply thereto. It is greatly to be regretted that their excellencies have omitted from these notes the principal reason for not opening the ports, which has been so distinctly stated by your highness and their excellencies here, as well as by the Chinese treaty commissioners in Shanghai. I have informed my Government of the contents of these notes, and I fear it will be greatly disappointed with the written statement which has, at its request, been furnished by the Chinese Government. I improve the opportunity, etc., E. H. CONGER. Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Pharaphrase.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Peking, May 30, 1903. (Replying to Mr. Hay's telegram of May 23, Mr. Conger reports that the Russian minister says he understands that the Russian Government is not opposed to open ports and consulates in Manchuria, but that he can not cooperate with Mr. Conger without instructions from his Government, for which he has telegraphed.) Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Peking, June 6, 1903. (Referring to his telegram of May 30, Mr. Conger reports that the Russian minister says he has not yet received instructions and can not make definite statement on the question without them. The Russian minister thinks reply as to cooperation has been sent from St. Petersburg to the Department of State.) Mr. Hay to Mr. Conger. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, (Replying to Mr. Conger's telegram of June 6, Mr. Hay instructs him to take no action on matter until further instructed, as it is being discussed in Washington by the Russian ambassador under instructions from his Government.) No. 1318.] Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Peking, June 9, 1903. SIR: I have the honor to confirm further telegraphic correspondence upon the question of open ports and consulates in Manchuria. The Russian minister arrived here on May 29. I had a conference with him on the 30th, with the result stated in my telegram of that date, and on the 6th instant I called to inquire, and he informed me that he had not as yet received reply to his telegram. He again said he was sure his Government was not opposed to opening the ports. I then asked him if, since he was certain there was no objection on the part of Russia, he would not so state to the Chinese Government. He replied that he could make no specific statement upon the matter until he received definite instructions from St. Petersburg. I wired you this on the 6th instant, and as instructed in your reply of the same date, shall take no further action until additional instructions are received. In compliance with your telegraphic instructions of May 29, I at once sent to Prince Ch'ing the note a copy of which I inclose, but as yet have received no reply. Prince Ch'ing has for the last three weeks been ill, but is reported as returning to duty to-day. I have, etc., [Inclosure.] Mr. Conger to Prince Ch'ing. E. H. CONGER. F. O., No. 504.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, YOUR HIGHNESS: Having telegraphed to my Government the contents of your two notes of the 24th and 27th instant, I have to-day received telegraphic instructions to make reply to your highness that, in view of China's well-asserted right to open new localities to foreign trade when and where in her Empire she sees fit, the Government of the United States can not for a moment admit that its most reasonable request, which is alike beneficial to both countries and to the commerce of the world, should be brushed aside in the manner suggested by these notes. China is as well aware as is the United States that commercial conditions in Manchuria demand the immediate opening of new places for international trade. If China will not provide for such opening by treaty, and insists upon doing it proprio motu, then she should issue an imperial edict at once declaring these ports opened, and reap the benefit which would come to her in greatest proportion. I regret to inform your highness that in view of the friendly interest which my Government has unselfishly taken in the welfare of China, her unwillingness to comply with the reasonable request of the United States Government has caused a most painful surprise, not only to the Government at Washington, but to the people of the United States in general. Having thus again called the serious attention of your highness to this important matter, I take occasion to express the assurance of my highest consideration. Mr. Hay to Mr. Conger. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] E. H. CONGER. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, (Mr. Hay states that the United States embassy in Russia telegraphs that the Russian minister for foreign affairs requests that Mr. Conger communicate to the Russian minister at Peking the demands of the United States relative to localities to be opened to trade. He promises that the minister of Russia will be authorized to frankly state to the Chinese Government the attitude of Russia. Mr. Conger is instructed to confer fully with the Russian minister and report the result to the Department.) Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Peking, June 18, 1903. (Mr. Conger, replying to Mr. Hay's telegram of June 16, reports that he has communicated to the Russian minister the demands of the United States relative to localities to be opened to trade; that the Russian minister says he has no instructions except to await discussion of the question at Washington, and can make no statement to Chinese Government, nor anyone, concerning Russia's attitude.) Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay. No. 1327.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to confirm your telegram of the 16th instant and my reply of to-day. This morning, in compliance with a request of the Russian minister for foreign affairs, contained in your telegram, I informed the Russian minister that we were asking the Chinese Government to open for trade in Manchuria Ta-tung-kou, Mukden, and Harbin, and that the Russian minister for foreign affairs had promised our ambassador at St. Petersburg that he (Mr. Lessar) would be instructed to state frankly to the Chinese Government the attitude of Russia. The Russian minister informed me that the matter had been taken entirely out of his hands, and he had been instructed to await the result of the discussion of the question at Washington; therefore he could not make any statement at all concerning the matter, either to the Chinese Government or to anyone else. He, however, told me that he would at once telegraph what I had said to his Government, and as soon as he received reply would inform me. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your No. 674, concerning the opening of treaty ports in Manchuria. FR 1903-5 |
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