Prince Kung to Anson Burlingame, Envoy Extraordinary and, September 20, 1862

Prince Kung to Mr. Burlingame

Prince Kung, principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, herewith sends a communication.

On the 13th of last April the governor of the province of Kiangie informed me as follows:

“I have heard it rumored that the Taiping rebels have employed certain unprincipled merchants to go to the United States and privately buy steamers, arms and cannon, and have advanced 500,000 taels for this purpose. When Mr. Burlingame, the American minister, reached Shanghai, I laid the proofs of this report before him. He replied that he had also heard it, and had already written to his government, to the end that investigation might be made and the proceedings stopped. His sentiments were most cordial and earnest. General Ward, of the Invincibles, had likewise requested him to write, as soon as possible, to prevent the scheme.”

From this despatch I have learned that as soon as your excellency heard that the Taiping rebels had engaged unscrupulous traders to go to the United States to purchase vessels and cannon, you instantly wrote to have the thing stopped. Sich, the commissioner of the ports, had also learned the same facts at a subsequent interview.

I shall also myself be obliged if you will again write, since I have such full evidence of your friendly wishes towards this country. The rebels are full of schemes, and the traders stick at nothing for gain, so that I am afraid, our precautions being inadequate, lest they elude our vigilance, and we suffer through their craftiness.

I make this communication, therefore, that your excellency may again request a precautionary search to be made (in the United States) and the purchase of these articles by the rebels prevented.