Benj. P. Avery to George F. Seward, March 1, 1875

Mr. Avery to Mr. Seward.

Sir: I am in receipt of your No. 413, inclosing copy of correspondence between yourself and Mr. Consul Lord, at Ning-po, relative to asking of the Chinese officials at the latter place the arrest and punishment of persons who have cut the Danish cable. Your suggestions to Mr. Lord and his subsequent action evince a sense of the right policy to he pursued in the premises, and I hope to hear that the Ning-po Taotai has kept his promise.

There is no reason, in the nature of things, nor in a fair construction of treaty obligations, why property in telegraphs should not be protected as well as property in anything else. It is gratifying to know that on this occasion, as on many others, the representatives of the United States have been foremost in practical and disinterested efforts to introduce and protect telegraph enterprise in China.

Should the sea-board officials generally act in the right spirit in response to the letter of the Tsungli Yamen concerning cable protection, we may expect hereafter more promptness and harmony in the measures necessary, and something like a consistently friendly native policy. This would relieve our own officers of much trouble.

The tendency of your recent and former action in behalf of cable protection, supported by that of our consuls through your advice, has been to hasten the adoption of such a policy. I am glad to feel, now that the matter has become a leading question at Peking, that there is such hearty accord regarding it among all in the service of our Government.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,