William H. Seward to Mr. Shepard, May 17, 1878
Mr. Seward to Mr. Shepard.
No. 49.]
Sir: Recurring to your dispatch No. 10 of September 25, 1877, covering a correspondence had by you with the intendants at Hankow and Ichang upon an application of Mr. M. A. Jenkins for the issue of transit passes to enable him to export certain native produce from Szchuen, I have the honor to hand to you herewith a reply only recently received from the foreign office, to a note which I addressed them upon the subject last October.
You will see from the response of the prince that, as a temporary measure, transit passes may be taken out and transit dues paid at your port, on goods brought from the interior of Szchuen. I shall be glad to be informed whether, in your opinion, the arrangement proposed meets the requirements of the trade affected by it.
I am, &c.,