No. 70.-The South American war; mission of Dr. Arosemena to tender the mediation of Colombia in the direction of peace; while not directly indorsing Dr. Arosemena's mission, this government feels an interest in its result. (See Mr. Dichman's No. 119, of August 2, 1879, p 309.) No. 112.-The situation; the war spirit in the ascendancy; president making and, possibly, president breaking; the government called upon by Congress for war explanations; rumor of intended intervention of the United States; it is short lived, but develops strong public opposi tion. No. 120. The South American war; the peace mission of Dr. Arosemena, the Colombian ambassador; Mr. Osborn's conversation with him; no results from his proffer of mediation; Dr. Arosemena will soon leave for Peru; Chili confident of success in the war; aggressive popu lar spirit; probable guarantees of future secu rity to be exacted by Chili if successful; remote prospects of peace in view of the pretensions of both sides; strength of the Chilian forces; enthusiasm over the capture of the Huascar. No. 78.-Foreign built ships owned by Americans abroad; the substance of further instructions to Mr. Christiancy on the subject now sent_to Mr. Osborn, to insure entire correspondence between the instructions given to ministers at Lima and Santiago on the subject; the right of Americans to buy foreign built ships abroad is clear, and has been uniformly recognized; possibility of collusion in such transactions does not invalidate this natural right; the flying of the American flag cannot be absolutely prohib ited; if the consul has reason to believe a sale made before him is honest, the flag can be flown as an emblem of the owner's nationality; duties of consuls in the premises to record bill of sale, authenticate its execution, and certify to the owner's citizenship; discretion necessary to determine good faith in the transactions; if fraud, or ground of belief of fraud, appears, the certificate may be refused, but the mere fact of transfer of a foreign vessel to an American is not evidence of bad faith; if a vessel so certified comes within the jurisdiction of another American consul, only the most conclusive evidence of fraud would justify the latter in not recognizing the vessel's nationality; caution necessary in such cases; the privileges and immunities of such foreign built vessels registered in consulates abroad are different from those of regularly registered American vessels ; they trade as neutrals, in time of war, at their own risk; duty of the execution to protect legiti mate American interests as far as practicable; action of one consul or minister should not be reversed by another, except on the strongest proof of mistake or collusion. (See Mr. Evarts' Nos. 65 and 67 to Mr. Osborn, and Nos. 7, 11, and 23 to Mr. Christiancy, and also, dispatches from Chili and Peru, in Foreign Relations, 1879, pages 150, 177, 180, 861, 865, 867, 874, 877, 881, 882, 884, 894.) No. 83.-The war; destruction of American property at Talara and at the Lobos Islands by the Chilian fleet; instructed to represent that the United States expect the rights of American citizens under treaties and international law to be respected. No. 131. The war; Chilian order for the bombardment of all defended towns on the Peruvian coast, and destruction of all moles and launches; danger to neutral rights thereby; action of the diplomatic corps; simultaneous notes of protest addressed to the Chilian Government; text of Mr. Osborn's note; the grounds of his remon strance; the coast property of Peru belongs largely to foreign owners, many being Americans. 120 121 121 123 125 125 CHILI-Continued. No. From whom and to whom. Date. Subject. Page. 1880 Feb. 27 Mar. 5 Apr. 13 No. 132.-The war; proposed exchange of pris No. 133.-The war; the nitre and guano deposits No. 87.-The war; proposed exchange of prisoners Apr. 14 No. 88.-The war; approval of Mr. Osborn's pro- Apr. 23 No. 89.-Exchange of prisoners between Chili and 118 Mr. T. A. Osborn to Mr. Ev. Apr. 30 No. 143.-The war in South America; destruction message. No. 155. The war; efforts of foreign legations in No. 164. The South-American war; reply of the CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE CHILIAN LEGATION IN WASHINGTON. 127 128 130 130 130 131 132 132 133 134 1 1879 123 Mr. Asta-Buruaga to Mr. Dec. 15 Case of an alleged torpedo-boat said to be in pro Evarts. cess of construction at and awaiting shipment 135 1 CHILI-Continued. CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE CHILIAN LEGATION IN WASHINGTON-Continued. 127 Mr. G. F. Seward to Mr. Evarts. 1879. Sept. 24 July 12 No. 451.-Diplomatic action on general grievances; Oct. 29 Nov. 3 Nov. 1 No. 499.-Procedure and extra-territorial rights 132 Mr. Hunter to Mr. G. F. Seward. Nov. 7 Nov. 18 No. 505.-Procedure and extra-territorial rights No. 510.-Commercial grievances; results of the 140 141 142 143 144 145 145 167 CHINA-Continued. No. From whom and to whom. Date. Subject. Page. 135 Mr. G. F. Seward to Mr. Evarts. 1879. Dec. 137 ......do Dec. 4 8 Dec. 10 existing commercial treaties; the proposals of the Chefoo convention, as to, 1, transit passes, 2, foreign settlements in the open ports, 3, opium traffic, and, 4, transit duties; the position of the Chinese Government; the radical differences between these two positions; provisions of foreign treaties compared; past correspondence reviewed; movement for a general conference on trade and judicial grievances; a statement prepared by Mr. von Brandt; letter of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce; prospects of the discussion thus inaugurated between the foreign representatives and the Tsung-li Yamên; full appendices of statements, memoranda, protocols, and notes transmitted. Nov. 25 No. 512.-Official intercourse of foreign represen tatives with native officers; questions discussed in the conferences of foreign representatives. Report of the subcommittee; the same results reached as in the conferences of 1876. Memorandum of Mr. C. Arendt on the subject. Memorandum of Mr. Devèria; protocol of the resolution of the diplomatic conference to address the Chinese government on the matter. No. 523.-General question of foreign grievances as to trade, procedure, and intercourse; reply of the Tsung-li Yamén to the preliminary joint note of the foreign representatives; their readi ness to discuss the questions involved; their position indicated in the Chinese diplomatic circular of 1878. (See enclosure 6 with Mr. Seward's No. 510, p. 177 of this volume.) China invites a discussion of the existing treaties apart from the grievances; action of the foreign representatives on the reply of the Tsung-li Yamiên. No. 526.-The lekin tax on opium; representations of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce, concerning the operations of the Swatow Guild in farming out this tax in the open ports; efforts of trade combinations of native merchants against the interests of the Chinese Government; Consul General Bailey's letter transmitting letter of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce. No. 530.-Transit-pass rules; local rules framed at Canton without consulting the consulates or the foreign representatives; their objectionable character; the foreign representatives instruct the consuls to refuse assent thereto; Mr. Seward's circular to the United States consuls. No. 531.-The Lew Chew dispute between China and Japan; the Chinese aspect of the question historically considered; the ancient status of Lew Chew as a quasi dependency of China, as opposed to the Japanese claim of domination : mode of investiture of the Lew-Chewan kings by China since 1655; comparison of the relationship of Corea, Lew Chew, Siam, Annam, and Burmah to the Imperial Government of China; resentment of the Chinese at the action of Japanese in reducing Lew Chew to vassalage; the application of the Chinese Government to General Grant to mediate in the question; text of certain historical documents touching the Chinese prerogative of investiture. No. 542.-Outward transit-pass rules; action of the foreign representatives on a report of the German consul at Shanghai on certain rules proposed to be enforced there; adoption of a uni form code of rules by the central government recommended; memorandum of Mr. Brenan, of the British legation, communicated to the Tsungli Yamên. No. 544.-Shanghai harbor rules; inquiry of the foreign representatives concerning the action of the Chinese Government on the proposal to frame a new code of rules; Mr. Holcombe deputed to present the new rules for consideration; text of the new rules; the old rules of 1878 to remain in force in the foreign district. Dec. 11 140......do Dec. 27 141 Dec. 27 CHINA-Continued. No. From whom and to whom. Date. Subject. Page. Jan. 15 Jan. 16 Jan. 20 146 Mr. Evarts to Mr. G. F. Sew- Jan. 22 ard. No. 557.-Chung How's case; text of the Imperial matter. No. 561.-Judicial procedure in mixed cases; No. 563.-Shanghai harbor rules; note of Prince No. 337.-Judicial system and mixed courts in Jan. 23 No. 567.-Judicial administration; response of the Jan. 29 Jan. 30 No. 575.-Chung How's case; official hostility in No. 579.-Trade grievances; response of the No. 339.-Brazilian embassy to China: requested | No. 586.-Chung How's case: the late ambassa- 206 210 212 213 214 214 215 216 220 221 |