Prince Kung to Anson Burlingame, United States, August 2, 1863

Prince Kung to Mr. Burlingame

Prince Kung, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs, herewith sends a reply

I have the honor to acknowledge the despatch of the 28th ultimo, in which your excellency informs me that “in December, 1861, the American ship Iskanderia, on her voyage from Taiwan to Amoy, was driven ashore by a storm at Pu-tai-tsin, in the district of Kia-i, where she was stranded; that when the case was reported to the authorities of Taiwan city, they were so dilatory in affording relief that the villagers on the spot had already completely plundered the vessel.

“Also, in another instance, that the ship Lucky Star, on her voyage from Shanghai to Hong-Kong, was driven ashore near Ki-lung, in Formosa, and broken up; that the wife and son [of the captain] were seized by the natives and plundered, and afterwards held for ransom, while others of the crew reported the circumstances to the authorities at Tanshwin; but they, also, would not exert themselves to afford any help, and the whole of the cargo of cotton and the wreck were carried off by the natives. You, therefore, request that orders may be given to the local authorities of those places to exert themselves, and afford aid and protection in such emergencies.”

It is well understood that whenever foreign vessels are wrecked or driven ashore [upon our coasts] by tempests, or [their crews] suffer injury or robbery at the hands of natives, that the officers at the place, on hearing the facts of the case, shall do all in their power immediately to save and relieve the sufferers; but in the above-mentioned cases the authorities at Taiwan and Tanshwin failed to exert themselves when the masters of the two vessels reported their losses. However, neither of these instances having been kitherto reported to the foreign office by the officials of Fukien province, the statement now received from your excellency shall be copied for transmission to the governor general of the province, directing him to make inquiry, and report upon the same; and, moreover, specially to enjoin on the authorities along those coasts to exert themselves, in all cases of wrecks, to save and succor the sufferers, as far as lies in their power. And to this end I now reply.