CADWALADER, Acting Secretary to William H. Seward, October 20, 1874
No. 173. Mr. Cadwalader to Mr. Seward.
No. 420].
Sir: The Department has received and read with interest your No 798, in reference to telegraphs in China, and your efforts in that direction, and to which you attach a correspondence between yourself and several consuls, with a draft of a proposed agreement between the provincial authorities at Foochow and the Northern Telegraph Company.
The Department approves your general efforts and the general efforts of the consuls of the United States in China to promote the establishment of telegraph lines, and the general policy of inducing the authorities to favor and not oppose such work. As to the particular advantage to accrue to the Chinese or to other governments by granting concessions to any particular company or individuals, or as to the form of agreements in such cases, the Department, being without information, withholds any expression of opinion.
The Department has full confidence, however, that, in dealing with this subject, general public considerations will be considered as superior to the advantage of any particular corporation or body.
I am, sir, &c.,
Acting Secretary.