Prince Kung to A. Burlingame , United States, September 3, 1862

Prince Kung to Mr. Burlingame

Prince Kung, secretary-in-chief for foreign affairs, herewith sends in reply: I have received your excellency’s despatch of the 29th ultimo, in which you state that you have appointed William Breck to perform the functions of consul of the United States at the port of Kiukiang, and that Charles D. Williams has gone to the port of Hankow to act as United States consul, requesting that orders be transmitted to the local officers at those ports to receive both these officials, and facilitate them in the execution of their duties, as far as the treaty requires, &c., &c.

I see, on referring to a despatch of Mr. Reed, the late United States minister, dated November 10, 1858, sent to the high minister Kweiliang, and others, then imperial commissioners, that he says, “as to consuls being engaged in trade, the law of his country now is that no one shall be consul who is engaged in trade;” yet the consul of the United States at Kiukiang, Mr. Breck, the acting consul at Hankow, Mr. Williams, and also Mr. J. B. Forbes, the acting consul at Tientsin, who have all been appointed by United States ministers, are each and all persons who cannot by this law be engaged in trade.

Further, I have lately received a despatch from the general in charge at Shinking that the acting United States consul, Mr. Knight, at Ninchwang, has opened a house of business called the Tungchinhong, and this also is in contravention of the despatch of Mr. Reed.

I have, therefore, in communicating these points to your excellency, to request that you will examine them and inform me whether or no such instructions can be sent to these consuls, that they need no longer engage in trade.