Elwell Goldsborough to G. F. Seward, March 25, 1880

Mr. Goldshorough to Mr. Seward.

Sir: In reply to your No. 83, requesting me to report to you upon the war power of China, including the condition of the army and navy, and of the forts, arsenals, and training establishments of this district, I beg to state that I have endeavored to procure the desired information and herewith submit the result of my investigations.

At the entrance of Amoy, on the eastern side, there is a battery some 1,500 feet long, commonly called the “200–gun battery,” and is guarded by a few hundred soldiers. There are several other smaller forts and batteries on the southwestern side of the harbor, but they are not of much consequence.

There is no training establishment nor arsenal here, and with regard to the land forces I have not been able to procure any information which would be reliable, but from my own observations I should fancy that they are very limited and of trivial consequence.

I may here state that we have now and then a number of Chinese gunboats, but these I am informed belong properly to Foochow. As to their efficiency, I am unable to speak. I have addressed no dispatches to the authorities here relative to the subject, but would have done so had I not been informed that little information could be derived from them.

I have, &c.,