SHEPPARD , United States Consul to Frederick F. Low, May 7, 1873

Mr. Sheppard to Mr. Low.

Sir: The recent meeting of the Japanese embassador with the viceroy of this province at Tien-tsin, for the purpose of ratifying the treaty lately entered into between Japan and China, has attracted so much attention that I beg to lay before you a brief account of the official interchanges which took place between the ministers of the two countries, together with a few facts and data connected therewith, which I have thought might not be without value to yourself.

Taneomi Soyéshima, the embassador extraordinary from Japan, accompanied by a Japanese admiral, arrived at Taku about the 19th of April. The flag-ship which brought the embassy being unable to cross the bar anchored outside, and on the day following the American steamer Millet was placed at the disposal of the embassador, who, accompanied by the admiral, secretary, interpreters, and attachés, embarked at once, and reached Tien-tsin at 7 o’clock p.m.

I should mention that C. W. Le Gendre, esq., late United States consul at Amoy, who is attached to the embassy in the capacity of adviser, had reached Tien-tsin the day previous by the steamer Shantung from Shanghai. The interest and curiosity which is always excited in the minds of the Chinese by the presence of Japanese in this country was greatly heightened in this instance by the fact that the Japanese appeared here for the first time in foreign clothes, i. e., European costume. Among the lower classes this fact simply provoked good-natured, idle curiosity, as all novelty does among the simple-minded countrymen, but among the literati and official classes a very different feeling was plainly manifest.

Two days after their arrival the customs Taotai of Tien-tsin was deputed to convey to the embassador the viceroy’s compliments and assurances of friendly feeling on the part of the Chinese government toward Japan, and to arrange for an official interview. An interview between the embassador and Li Hung Chang was accordingly arranged to take place at the viceroy’s yamên on the following day. In due time the viceroy, with the customs and the territorial Taotais and the prefect of Tien-tsin, accompanied by a large and imposing retinue, returned the embassador’s visit. These two visits were ceremonial and preliminary to the final meeting for the exchange and ratification of the treaty which took place on the 30th of April, at the shausi hui kuan in the city of Tien-tsin. The particulars of what transpired at these several interviews have not, of course, been made public officially. But by reports from Chinese sources I have gathered a few incidents connected therewith which seem worthy of note. While I am satisfied from other sources of information that these reports are substantially correct, I give them to you as matter of report simply, without vouching for their correctness. General Le Gendre, whom I before mentioned as connected with the embassy, was present at each of the two interviews which I have named, as also at the final meeting of ratification on the 30th of April above mentioned.

It is reported among the Chinese that at the first one of these interviews the viceroy, after being introduced, inquired of the embassador, “Who is this foreigner; what is his business here?” or questions to that effect. The embassador’s answer was that General Le Gendre accompanied the embassy as adviser, and that he was here at the request and by the authority of the Japanese government.

The viceroy replied that “We,” meaning the Chinese and Japanese, “have made other treaties before this one, and we did not find the need of foreigners to advise us, and what reason is there for it now?” He insisted that he could not recognize General Le Gendre in any official capacity relating to the embassy.

At each of the first two interviews named the viceroy’s conduct toward General Le Gendre was studiously cold and uncourteous. At the final meeting, on the 30th of April, the viceroy, however, saw fit to entirely change his demeanor toward him, and on this occasion his extravagant politeness was only equalled by his former incivility and rudeness.

As far as I have been able to learn, the intercourse between the embassador and the viceroy was pleasant enough. There is, however, no disguising the fact that the ruling classes here, including his excellency the viceroy, hold the Japanese in sovereign contempt. The adoption of foreign dress and foreign manners by the Japanese has stung almost to exasperation the proud, stolid Chinese.

It is deeply to be regretted that Li Hung Chang should have taken advantage of his high official position, as it would seem he has done in this instance, to promote and strengthen the exclusive and selfish spirit of distrust of foreigners and foreign influences, so much indulged in by the pompous, conceited, and too often ignorant mandarins.

The viceroy’s ungracious demeanor toward General Le Gendre did not arise, I think, from personal considerations. The fact that the Japanese had seemingly identified themselves with foreigners by employing a foreigner adviser was so entirely at variance with the viceroy’s ideas of Oriental superiority that we could not resist giving his cousins from the “Rising Sun” a left-handed slap for submitting to or seeking after the guidance of western barbarians. This little incident, otherwise unworthy of notice, becomes very significant in view of the recent advances toward modern civilization made by the Japanese, and of the relations between that country and China. It gives, also, one more unhappy proof of the distrust and dislike of western peoples among the ruling classes of China.

Of the nature and conditions of the new treaty just ratified nothing has as yet transpired.

I am, &c.,