Letter

Prince Kung to the foreign ministers, June 15, 1873

Author

Prince Kung

Recipient

the foreign ministers

Date

June 15, 1873

Type

Letter

Language

English

[Inclosure 1.—Translation.]

Prince Kung to the foreign ministers.

Prince Kung, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs, makes the following communication:

The yamên having presented a memorial to the throne showing that the foreign ministers resident in Peking have urgently requested an audience to present letters from their governments, had the honor to receive on the 14th instant the following decree:

“The Tsung-li yamên haying presented a memorial to the effect that the foreign ministers residing in the capital have requested an audience that they may deliver letters from their governments, we command that the foreign ministers residing in Peking who have brought letters from their governments he accorded audience. Respect this.”

It is the duty of the prince to communicate a copy of the imperial decree to the ministers of Russia, the United States, England, and France.

June 15, 1873.

Notes

1. The Chinese character here employed signifies, u201cto request, to beg, to beseech;u201d it may therefore be by some considered disrespectful. It is, however, the character commonly used when princes and other high officers make requests of the Emperor; therefore it may be inferred that no disrespect was intended.

Topics

19th Century Diplomacy Reconstruction

Sources

FRUS u2014 Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the P View original source ↗

U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian. Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the P.