William H. Seward to John L. Cadwalader, August 27, 1874

No. 165. Mr. Seward to Mr. Cadwalader.

Sir: I have the honor to hand to you herewith a copy of a letter which I have received from the manager of the Great Northern Telegraph Company, together with Mr. De Lano’s letter therein referred to, and an English copy of the agreement between the company and the authorities of the Fohkien province for the establishment of a telegraph between Foochow and Amoy. I hand you also copy of a letter addressed by me to Mr. Sheppard, at Tien-tsin, and Mr. Lord, at Ningpo, in regard to telegraphs. The present moment is opportune to urge these matters upon the Chinese, and I am using my best efforts to do so here and to encourage our several consuls to do the same thing.

I cannot too highly commend the action of Mr. De Lano in the case of the Foochow and Pagoda anchorage telegraph and the Foochow and Amoy line.

You will understand that we are all actuated in these matters by a sincere desire to do what we can to promote the interests of civilization and humanity in this vast empire.

There is no American company in the field; and we are perhaps stronger in speaking for the Danes than we could be in speaking for ourselves.

I am, &c.,

Copy of an agreement.

The high provincial authorities at Foochow, in the province of Fohkien and Empire-of China, having already granted unto the Great Northern Telegraph Company of Denmark, permission to erect an electric telegraph line, overland, between the provincial city of Foochow and the city of Amoy, both in the province of Fohkien it is necessary, in order that a perfect understanding may be had in the matter, that all the stipulations agreed upon by the Chinese authorities and the representatives of the telegraph company be clearly stated in the form of an agreement, and made a matter of record.

• The Chinese authorities agree on their part that as soon as the representative or engineer of the telegraph company aforesaid shall signify his readiness to commence the survey and location of the said telegraph line, they, the Chinese authorities, will appoint two deputies, having official rank, to accompany the said telegraph company’s representative from Foochow to Amoy aforesaid, and assist him in the survey of the route; the line to be erected along the route selected and agreed upon by the said deputies and the company’s engineer. But it is understood that the line shall not pass through the large cities along the route, nor shall the telegraph-poles be put up in the public roads so as to obstruct travel, nor in the people’s fields without their consent, neither shall any graves or tombs be interfered with. The Chinese authorities agree to give official protection to the said telegraph line during its construction and after its completion, and permit the company to lease ground and erect small watch-houses at convenient distances from each other along the route, say ten miles apart, where Chinese watchmen will he employed to guard the line, (the company to pay such rent for the ground as may be agreed upon with the owners of the same.) The company are permitted in like manner to obtain ground and erect telegraph stations at or near the two cities of Hing-Hua and Chuen-Chan, where European operators may reside.
• It is agreed that the provincial authorities shall not grant to any other company or person permission to erect another, or a competing telegraph line between Foochow and Amoy aforesaid, for or during the space of thirty years from the date of this agreement; the Chinese authorities reserving to themselves the right to purchase the line at any time after its completion, at the actual cost of its construction, (adding thereto interest from the date of its completion to date of purchase, at a rate per cent, to be determined and agreed upon by the Chinese authorities and the representatives of the company.) In the event of the line being purchased by the Chinese authorities, the company will not erect a competing line.
• The Great Northern Telegraph Company aforesaid undertake to erect the telegraph-poles along the route selected and located as aforesaid, and to place thereon two lines of wire, one of which is to be worked by the company and in the company’s interest for commercial purposes, and the other shall be worked solely in the interest of the Chinese authorities and for government purposes only, the telegraph company reserving to themselves the right to control the second wire in the manner hereafter named, viz: The company will work the wire in the interest of the Chinese government until their own appointed people are able to perform the work themselves, and will supply the Chinese with office-room and instruments at Foochow and Amoy, and at intermediate stations, free of charge, and will also instruct Chinese lads appointed by the authorities in the art of telegraphy free of charge.
• In order that the company may be assured that only government messages are transmitted over the government wire, the Chinese authorities agree that the draughts of all messages sent by them for transmission either at Foochow, Amoy, or the intermediate stations, shall have upon them a certain official seal, and a copy or impression of such seal shall be deposited with the operator or agent at each station.
• It is agreed that the office or operating-room, both of the company and Chinese, shall be in the same building at Foochow, Amoy, and the intermediate stations. The poles, wires, instruments, and stations are to be the property of the company until such time as the Chinese authorities shall elect to purchase the same, as before stated.
• All government messages sent by the Chinese authorities, for transmission over the wire, shall be dispatched without delay, and if in any case a non-official message shall be sent by an attaché of the yamên to the telegraph-office for transmission, the Chinese will try to discover the writer thereof and punish him in a suitable manner for the offense.

The company agree that no official messages sent by the Chinese authorities shall be published by the company or any of their employes. All official messages received at the different stations for the Chinese authorities will be immediately delivered as addressed by the company.

It being the wish of the Great Northern Telegraph Company to cultivate and maintain the most friendly relations with the Chinese authorities and the people, they will be found willing to change or vary the stipulations contained herein if such change shall appear to be for the general good, and shall not materially damage their interests; and on the other hand the Chinese authorities agree to do all things convenient and reasonable to facilitate the early completion of the telegraph-line.

As a proof of the good faith of the two parties concerned in this agreement, it is signed by the company’s agent, Mr. J. Henningsen, on behalf of the telegraph company, and by the foreign trade committee on behalf of the Chinese provincial authorities.