RAASLOFF, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of His Majesty the King of Denmark to To His Imperial Highness Prince Kung and the, March 3, 1875

General Raasloff to Prince Kung and the ministers of the Yamen.

Sirs: The undersigned has had the honor to receive the notes of the 25th of February and the 1st instant, which your highness and the ministers have been so good as to address to him in reply to his note of the 20th ultimo.

In these notes your imperial highness informs the undersigned that, in consequence of his note above mentioned, and of the different interviews had with him or his interpreter, in relation to the telegraphic line between Foo-Chow and Amoy, yon have memorialized the throne upon the proposition to charge Shan [the commissioner to Formosa] with the arrangement of this affair jointly with the Manchu commandant, the governor-general and governor of Fuhkien, which proposition has been sanctioned by the Emperor, and been followed up by sending the proper orders to those authorities, instructing them to carefully examine into this matter and ascertain how it can best be arranged.

In consequence of this communication the undersigned has informed the director-general of the Great Northern Telegraph Company that the ministers of the Tsung li Yamen have expressed, in an interview held on the 17th ultimo, their intention to indemnify the company for the losses which it had suffered by the violent attacks made, and to buy out that part of the line which still remains, as well as the cable laid between Amoy and the main-land, to be used as shall seem proper to them; and that the above-mentioned officials having received the necessary instructions to enter on the negotiation with the director-general, the undersigned recommends him to arrange the matter with them.

The understanding which was reached at the interview on the 17th ultimo, having in this manner been put in the way of execution by both sides and in good faith, the undersigned hopes that the affair will soon be arranged without disturbing our amicable relations; but, while awaiting this result, he is bound to inform your highness and the ministers that the reports more recently at hand mention that the local authorities continue to harshly treat the agents of the company, and appeal to the orders of the Tsung li Yamen, while it is evident that this conduct is far from being approved here, and is certainly not to be justified by any necessity. They have lately prohibited the company from landing their posts, and have even gone so far as to prevent the sale of food to their work-people. In consequence of these harsh acts, new losses have been inflicted on the company, which has also further suffered in consequence of not being able to resume its operations after the violent attacks brought to your notice in my note of the 20th ultimo, and is forced, too, to keep in pay a considerable personnel whom it cannot usefully employ.

The undersigned hopes that your highness and the ministers will promptly put a stop to this state of things, and render account to the company for the losses and inconveniences it has suffered, which have been, or yet may he, done by the local officials without the least necessity.

The undersigned has now the honor to inform your highness and the ministers of his intention to leave Peking to-morrow for Shanghai, with the intention of returning in a few weeks; and he seizes this occasion to renew the assurance of his high consideration.