No. 22.
Mr. Low to Mr.
Fish
No. 43.]
Legation of the United States, Peking,
December 15, 1870.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that a careful
estimate of the loss and damage sustained by the North China Branch of the
American Board of Foreign Missions, by the action of the mob at Tien-tsin,
on the 21st of June last, fixed the amount at 4,785 19/100 Tien-tsin taels,
about $6,700.
The property destroyed consisted of one chapel building, with rooms adjoining
suitable for a residence, the property of the society, and another small
chapel in another part of the city, which was rented of the Chinese. The
damage to the latter was estimated at 285 50/100 taels.
The vice-consul, at Tien-tsin, by my authority and direction, presented the
claim to the local authorities; and a settlement was made by their agreeing
to rebuild the rented premises in a manner satisfactory to the owner, and
the payment in money of the claim for damages to the larger chapel. This has
all been done to my entire satisfaction. For more full particulars in regard
to the adjustment of the claim, and the disposition of the funds, I beg to
refer you to the vice-consul’s dispatch to me, a copy of which accompanies
this, (inclosure A.)
With reference to the additional claim mentioned by Mr. Meadows in his
dispatch, which is preferred by the Rev. Mr. Stanley for losses and damage
sustained by native Christians, and my decision upon this as well as upon
all claims of a similar character, I have, most respectfully, to refer you
to my dispatch to the vice-consul, a copy of which forms the inclosure D in
my dispatch No. 40, of December 5th, to the Department. The settlement of
this matter adjusts all legal and proper claims for losses or damages
sustained by citizens of the United States in consequence of the riot at
Tientsin, so far as I am at present informed.
Trusting that my action in the premises will receive the approval of the
President, I have, &c,,
[Page 76]
A.
No. 42.]
Mr. Meadows to Mr. Low
United States Consulate, Tien-tsin,
November 18, 1870.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your excellency’s dispatch dated 17th ultimo, instructing me
to obtain from the Chinese authorities the sum of taels 4,785 19/100 for
the chapels destroyed in Tientsin City, on the 21st of June last, by the
Chinese people belonging to the North China Mission of the American
Board of Foreign Missions. Immediately after the receipt of your
dispatch I addressed his excellency Chung-lin on the subject, and handed
him translation of the paper received from you, giving in detail the
losses sustained, and the particular claims for each. Later, I had
several interviews with Ma, the prefect, at my office, on this subject,
and it was finally arranged by us that as he had, previously to the
receipt of my dispatch, already begun erecting the second chael near the
west gate of the city, for which there were charged taels 285 50/100, by
the wish of Rev. Mr. Stanley, that he should proceed with the work and
finish it, and that the sum of taels 4,499 69/100 should be paid in cash
as liquidation for the claim sent to me from the legation. I have now to
inform your excellency that I last night received a dispatch from Ma,
the prefect, inclosing a customs banker’s order for the above-mentioned
amount of taels 4,499 69/100, and that I this morning handed the order
to Messrs. Russell & Co., of this post, with instructions to hold
the amount to the credit of the North China Mission of the American
Board of Foreign Missions; and I beg to inclose Messrs. Russell &
Co.’s receipt for the amount which I obtained, in duplicate. I have
further to inform you that the Rev. Mr. Stanley called on me a few days
back to say that he had another claim to present to the Chinese
authorities on account of some Chinese connected with the mission. I
shall be obliged to you if you will give me instructions on this head
for my guidance when I am called upon to address the authorities, as I
take it for granted, although I have received no instructions from you
on this matter, that the further claims meet with your approval.
I have, &c.,
