Wells Williams to His Imperial Highness Prince Kung, January 2, 1868

Mr. Williams to Prince Kung

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Imperial Highness’s dispatch of the 29th ultimo, in which you inform me respecting a modification which has been made in the article of tea, whereby the tea-dust is separated from the other, and is hence-forth to pay a duty of one tael two mace five candareens per pecul [i. e., $1 74 per 1331/3 pounds avordupois] on all such as does not exceed 15 taels per pecul in value; but to pay the same duty as tea whenever its value exceeds 15 tack per pecul; and that if a foreign merchant falsely reports tea under the designation of tea-dust, he renders the whole quantity liable to confiscation.

I have carefully read your Highness’s observations on the principles which led you to modify the duty by discriminating the article of tea-dust at a lower rate than tea, in order to benefit the foreign merchant; and that, to restrain the misuse of the reduction, all tea which is palmed off by him as tea-dust is thereby rendered liable to confiscation. This arrangement appears to be equitable, and indicates a desire to deal with this commodity so as to remove all obstacles to its greatest use.

I have accordingly notified the various consuls of the United States at the ports of this modification, for the information of the American merchants.

I have the honor to be, sir, your Imperial Highness’s obedient servant,