Letter

Prince Kung to the foreign ministers, March 10, 1873

Author

Prince Kung

Recipient

the foreign ministers

Date

March 10, 1873

Type

Letter

Language

English

[Inclosure 5.]

Prince Kung to the foreign ministers.

Peking, March 10, 1873.

Prince Kung, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs, herewith makes a communication in reply.

Upon the 24th February I had the honor to receive the collective note of your excellencies, stating that, having received the announcement that His Majesty the Emperor of China had attained his majority, and on the 23d February had, in person, assumed control of the government of the empire, you would be failing in the duties of your position did you not, at an early day, present the congratulations of your respective governments to His Majesty. You therefore requested me to lay this expression of your desire before the throne, and receive His Majesty’s orders as to an audience.

Upon the 5th instant I again received a collective note from your excellencies, requesting me to appoint an interview.

As the interests involved in this matter are of the utmost consequence, I have in the first instance directed his excellency Wên Hsiang and the other members of the foreign office to meet your excellencies at the Russian legation, on Tuesday, 11th March, at 1 p.m., for a general consultation. I trust your excellencies will all be able to meet at the time and place named.

A note to the effect stated above has already been dispatched by the yamên to each of you, and in addition thereto I beg to make this reply.

To their Excellencies Vlangaly, De Rehfues Low Wade De Geofroy.

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.