Mr. Yang Yü to Mr. Gresham.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that I am in receipt of a communication from the Chinese consul-general at San Francisco, upon the subject of the progress of registration under the McCreary law and the status of Chinese persons who are entitled to invoke its provisions, from which it appears that many of these persons are required to travel with their witnesses long distances to the registration office at great expense, and upon their arrival additional expenses are incurred by the unavoidable delay at the office in consequence of the numerous applicants for certificates. I am likewise reliably informed that upon [Page 161] estimates already made it will be impossible for all Chinese persons entitled to the privileges of the law to be registered before the 3d day of May next.

From the above it appears that great readiness is manifested by my people in this country to comply with the provisions of the registration laws, and that the number of applications for registration so far exceeds the progress of the work of the registration office that much delay and extra expense are caused to the applicants. Should the six months’ extension of time expire before the work of registration be completed, it would be reasonable to conclude that the fault, if any, would not be due to any disinclination on the part of my people to comply with the laws.

I have the honor, therefore, to request that you would give the matter due consideration and take timely steps to devise a suitable remedy, thus removing any uneasiness felt by my people and further manifesting the friendliness between the two nations.

Accept, etc.,

Yang Yü.