The Acting Secretary of State to Minister Conger.

No. 797.]

Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 1553, of March 28 last, inclosing a copy of correspondence between you and the Chinese foreign office concerning the putting into force of those provisions in the new commercial treaty between the United States and China which relates to copyrights, trade-marks, and patents.

The department approves your action in the matter.

You will insist upon some provisional rules for the protection of copyrights, trade-marks, and patents, and you will get a date fixed for the coming into force of the regulations provided for in the treaty. These regulations should be submitted to you before their promulgation in order to determine whether they comply with the stipulations of the treaty.

I am, sir, etc.,

Francis B. Loomis,
Acting Secretary.