Prince Kung to To His Excellency Benjamin P. Avery , United States, March 1, 1875

Prince Kung to Mr. Avery.

Prince Kung, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs, herewith makes a communication:

When the foreign office appointed Chan Lanpin, with Messrs. Macpherson and Huber, as a joint commission to go to Cuba to examine into the condition of the Chinese laborers there, a dispatch was addressed to your excellency’s legation on the 28th of November, 1873, requesting that notice of the commission might be sent to the Secretary of State, at Washington, for the purpose of having the United States consul-general at Havana informed of this action, and instructed to lend its members, on their arrival, such aid as was in his power.

When the commission returned to Peking, last January, and gave in its report, the members reported that in their various inquiries into the condition of the Chinese coolies now in Cuba, the several consuls of the United States in the island rendered them great assistance in many ways.

For this friendly aid the prince and high ministers of the Yamen are exceedingly thankful, and now take this opportunity to make known their obligations; and further beg the favor that your excellency will inform the Secretary of State, on their behalf, of this communication.