Prince Kung to Chester Holcombe, December 14, 1881

Prince Kung to Mr. Holcombe

Prince Kung, Chief Secretary of State for foreign affairs, herewith makes a communication in reply:

I have had the honor to receive your dispatch of the 8th instant referring to the establishment of telegraph lines in China; remarking that you were in receipt of the views of your government upon the subject, which you were authorized to give to me; and requesting to be officially informed whether His Imperial Majesty has or has not approved and confirmed the agreement entered into between His Excellency Li and the GreatNorthern Telegraph Company.

This office has discussed this business in all its bearings with Minister Angell, a discussion with which you are doubtless familiar.

If hereafter the United States desire to lay a telegraph cable from Japan to China, a satisfactory and suitable arrangement will be made, and one which shall not disappoint the hopes of the American company in the least degree.

As to the propositions heretofore made by the Great Northern Telegraph Company, they were submitted by the Company to His Excellency Li, and approved by him; but they have not been laid before His Imperial Majesty.

His Excellency Li, in dealing with this question certainly ought not rashly to enter into any arrangement which would not conserve the interest of the government and people of China.