BÜTZOW, AVERY, BRANDT, ROCHECHOUART, FRASER, For the British minister to the Tsungli Yamen, May 8, 1875

The foreign ministers to the Tsungli Yamen.

To their Excellencies the members of the Tsungli Yamen:

The undersigned have had the honor to receive the note addressed to them by your excellencies, under date of 25th April, and the accompanying project for a convention relative to the emigration of Chinese laborers to the Island of Cuba.

The conditions enumerated in this project are so opposed to those which the representative of Spain had submitted as a basis for a settlement of this question, and which he has repeatedly declared himself unable to concede, that the undersigned are compelled, to their great regret, to doubt the utility of further attempt at mediation, which they had undertaken solely with the hope of reconciling the interests of the two governments, and in the desire to serve the cause of humanity.

Should your excellencies still have the desire, which has been expressed to the undersigned, to have an interview in order to discuss this question, the undersigned will be pleased to have a conference at the Russian legation, May 10, at 2 p.m.

The undersigned avail themselves, &c.