DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE AND FOREIGN RELATIONS. 



225 



ul>uut the same time, a portion of the crew of 

 the American vessel General Sherman be- 

 caine embroiled in a row and were arrested by 

 i authorities. A force sent from 

 Sherman rescued the men and seized two 

 native ollicors as hostages. An excited popu- 

 lace attfu-kod the vessel, killed eight of the 

 . jiiul captured a number of prisoners. 

 The Corenn government gave evidence of its 

 to explain these occurrences and to 

 make a treaty of amity and commerce with 

 I 'nitod States. 



DEPARTMENT or STATE, ) 

 WASHINGTON, April 20, 1870. f 



SIR : It has boon decided to authorize negotiations 

 to be had with the authorities of Corea, for the pur- 

 pose of securing a treaty for the protection of snip- 

 u ro-ki'd mariners, and to intrust tho conduct of the 

 negotiations to you. Should tho opportunity seem 

 favorable for obtaining commercial advantages in 

 Corea, tho proposed treaty should include provisions 

 to that effect ; out the President principally aims in 

 tliis mission to secure protection and good treatment 

 to such seamen of the United States ad may unhap- 

 pily be wrecked upon those shores. 



The enclosed copies of the treaties concluded with 

 Japan at Kanagawa in 1854, and at Yeddo in 1858, will 

 serve to point out the kind of protection which you 

 will seek to secure as well as the commercial articles 

 which it may be desirable to enter into. These 

 i. together with the copies of dispatches from 

 < ''>u^ul-General Seward, which are enclosed, indicate 

 fully what you are to endeavor to obtain. 



Little is known of the shores or internal waters of 

 Corea, or of tho people who inhabit that country. 

 Before leaving to carry out these instructions, you 

 will endeavor to gather all the information on these 

 subjects that can DO obtained in Peking. Some po- 

 litical connection exists between China and Corea, 

 which may make it advisable for you to secure, in 

 advance, the good will and, possiblyj the good offices 

 of the Peking government. You will, of course, do 

 whatever can be done in that way. 



Admiral Rodgers will receive instructions, a copy of 

 which has been forwarded you in my No. 8 from the 

 Navy Department, to place at your disposal accom- 

 modation upon the flag-ship, and, to accompany you 

 himself upon this mission, with a display of force 

 adequate to support tho dignity of this Government. 

 You will maintain entire frankness and unreserve 

 with Admiral Rodgers, conferring freely with him in 

 every stage of tho negotiations. 



In arranging tho time for carrying out these in- 

 structions, it is also desirable, if possible, to secure 

 the presence and cooperation of Consul-General Sew- 

 ard, who has had great experience in Oriental charac- 

 ter, and who has also made a study of this question. 

 Admiral Rodgers has instructions to take that officer 

 with him in case he returns to China before you go. 

 It is not supposed here that you will bo able to com- 

 ply with these instructions before next year, in which 

 case Mr. Seward will probably bo at his post. 



It will also be necessary, in making your arrange- 

 ments, to consult the convenience of Admiral Rodgers, 

 and to defer to his superior knowledge of tho oest 

 season for navigating those waters. 



The Departmsnt relies upon you, in fulfilling 

 these instructions, to exercise prudence and discre- 

 tion, to maintain firmly tho right of tho United 

 States to have their seamen protected, to avoid a 

 conflict by force unless it cannot bo avoided with- 

 out dishonor, and to seek in all proper ways the 

 harmonious and friendly assistance of the Chinese 

 Government. 



You will keep an account of your necessary ex- 

 penses in carrying out these instructions, and draw 

 upon Messrs. Baring Brothers & Co., of London, for 

 VOL. x. 15 A 



tho amount thu* oxixmdcd, and furniith tho necemrr 

 vouchen therefor. HAMILTON KIM I. 



Piracy. On tho 19th of February, 1870, 

 Karon Gorolt, the North-German minister ut 

 Washington, addressed an official note to Mr. 

 Fish, proposing "combined measures on tho 

 part of the maritime powers for the exter- 

 mination of piracy in the Chinese waters." 

 Mr. Fish, on the 81st of March, replied that 

 the President had taken great pleasure in com- 

 plying with the request of Count Bismarck by 

 directing instructions to Admiral Rodgers to co- 

 operate for that purpose with the naval forces 

 of North Germany and such other powers as 

 shall receive similar instructions. Ho added : 

 " The cooperation of Admiral Rodgers and of 

 the forces under his command will, however, 

 be limited to cases of recognized piracy. He 

 will be instructed to proceed in such a way as 

 not to wound the sensibilities of the Chinese 

 Government, or to interfere with the lawful 

 commerce of the Chinese subjects, or to con- 

 flict with the peaceful policy toward China in 

 which the Government of North Germany and 

 the United States so happily agree." 



Suspension of Hostilities in Chinese Waters. 

 On November 1st, the Secretary of State 

 instructed Mr. Bancroft to ascertain if it were 

 possible to obtain a suspension of hostilities 

 and cooperative action between the squadrons 

 of France and Germany, in tho Chinese waters, 

 so far as the protection of lives and property 

 of Americans and Europeans might require ; 

 and instructed Mr. Motley to communicate the 

 fact to Lord Granville. This step received the 

 approval of the Prussian Government, and the 

 cordial sanction of that of Great Britain. 



Tien-tsin iot.M.r. F. F. Low, on the 27th 

 of June, 1870, reported to Mr. Fish that on the 

 21st of June, 1870, a riot occurred at Tien-tsin 

 which resulted in. the death of sixteen French 

 subjects, three Russians, and the destruction of 

 the French consulate, Roman Catholic cathe- 

 dral, and the establishment of the Sisters of 

 Charity. Several native Christians were also 

 killed. He further reported that the massacre 

 appeared to have been incited by rumors 

 that the Sisters of Charity in Tien-tsin were 

 purchasing children and killing them to get 

 their hearts and eyes for the purpose of 

 manufacturing some sort of a medical spe- 

 cific. Mr. Low, in giving tho details of the 

 massacre, and enclosing other accounts of 

 it, said that the action of the mob appeared 

 not to have been directed against foreigners 

 because they were foreigners, but rather 

 against Catholics, not because Catholics were 

 Christians, but because of their action in filling 

 their asylums with children against the wishes 

 of the Chinese. All French subjects were con- 

 sidered as accomplices in the supposed crime, 

 because France appeared to be the guardian of 

 the Catholic missions. The action of the French 

 consul in not giving his consent to reasonable 

 means for disabusing the Chinese mind of its- 

 prejudices, and allaying the excitement, and 



