Prince Kung to James Burrill Angell, July 2, 1881
Prince Kung to Mr. Angell.
Informal.]
On the 13th June, your excellency came to this office and spoke about an agreement having been entered into between the Great Northern Telegraph Company and the viceroy Li, by which the said company were to enjoy a twenty years’ monopoly during which time no other company would be allowed to land telegraph cables in China, &c.
This office thereupon wrote to inquire of the viceroy Li, and an answer has been received from him, in which he says:
“According to international law among western nations, railways, telegraphs, etc., are matters about which each nation can do as it pleases; either the country builds them itself or allows public companies to build them. The line of telegraph which last year it was proposed to establish between Shanghai and Tientsin was designed with a view to having direct and rapid communication with the outside world, remembering this we cannot do otherwise than negotiate with the Great Northern Telegraph Company to connect our line with their cable The said company has done its utmost to assist us honestly in purchasing materials and hiring workmen to build this first line, and has begged for (a similar understanding) like the terms of the agreement made between the company and the Governments of France and Russia. There appears to be no reason why the request should not be granted. The company have only begged me to grant their request, but have not asked that an agreement be drawn. I find nothing in all this that is contrary to international law of western nations. I herewith forward for your inspection translations of the agreements between the Great Northern Telegraph Company and the Governments of France and Russia. (It will be seen that) the agreement with Russia is for a period of thirty years, and that with France for a period of twenty-five years. In this instance, it is only for the Shanghai cable that a twenty years’ (monopoly) has been granted. It is not I who have made the precedent,” &c.
It will be seen that in managing this business the viceroy has made rules fixing a limitation in years, like what Russia and France have already done. It behooves us to send copies of the agreement between the Great Northern Telegraph Company and France and Russia for your excellency’s inspection.