Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President, Transmitted to Congress December 2, 1895, Part I

Mr. Denby to Mr. Olney.

Legation of the United States,
Peking, October 2, 1895. (Received Nov. 8.)

No. 2381.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a translation of a note from the Tsung-li Yamên, in which they inform me what officers have been detailed to escort the Szechuan commission and designate the places at which the commission is to pass from one province to another.

I have, etc.,

Charles Denby

.

[Inclosure in No. 2381.]

The Tsung-li Yamên to Mr. Denby.

October 1, 1895.

Sir: We received some days ago a note from you, in which you stated that the Szechuan commission dispatched by your Government would proceed by land via Chihli, Shansi, and Shensi. On the 28th of September we accordingly sent you three passports for delivery to the members of the commission, and we sent telegraphic orders to the authorities of the said provinces to each detail an officer and a squad, of cavalry to escort them on their journey.

The viceroy of Chihli now telegraphs that he has detailed Maj. Chi-Mei-cheng, with twenty soldiers, to escort the commission as far as Ping-ting Chou, in Shansi, where they will be committed to the authorities of that province. We have received also a telegram from the governor of Shansi announcing the detail of First Captain Li Chun-hua, with twenty soldiers, to take the party under his escort at Ping-ting Chou. The governor of Shansi also telegraphs that he has detailed Second Captain Tan Pen-wan, with twenty soldiers, to take charge of the commission at Tung-kuan.

We are awaiting a telegram from Szechuan announcing the locality at which the commission is to enter that province, and the name of the officer who will there receive them, upon receipt whereof we will again write you. In the meantime we send this note for your information.