Wells Williams to Edward C. Lord, December 23, 1873

Mr. Williams to Mr. Lord.

Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 40, with its various inclosures, relating to and explaining the various steps taken by you and the American missionaries at Hang-chow, with the native gentry and their rulers, to bring about an amicable settlement of the points of issue connected with the location of the mission premises, and the satisfactory settlement of the case.

Few are the occasions on which it has been so agreeable for me to reply to the report of a consul as to his conduct of a case as the present, and I not only congratulate you on its satisfactory termination, but regard it as proving that the missionaries settled in Hang-chow have won for themselves the good opinion of the gentry in the city and the respect of the rulers. It would not, of course, be wise to infer too much from this incident, as to the feelings of the people of Hang-chow; but the precedent which has been given by them as to the most desirable mode of arranging a question with foreigners, is of itself calculated to promote other like mutual concessions. Your long residence at Ningpo, and freedom in carrying on correspondence and conversation with the officers in their own language, have both peculiarly fitted you for bringing about an equitable settlement; and to your own satisfaction in feeling that all parties are content with the arrangement made, and your efforts in it, which you accept as your chief reward. I beg most cordially to add my approval of what has been done, and shall have pleasure in bringing it to the notice of the State Department. I shall be pleased to have you inform Messrs. Houston and Helm that their readiness to go through the labor of rebuilding the mission premises, in order to remove the irritation of the citizens, and the scrupulous care they have taken in getting the just valuation of their buildings and improvements, are worthy of commendation. I hope they will find increased facilities for their work in the greater favor of the people. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,