DENMARK.                           379

cannot close its eyes to the fact that its interests in China will always
be, in many respects, at-the lmercy of oentilngencies and arbitrary
proceedings, so long as they shall not be under the protection of influ-
ential persons at Peking. The company is convinced that its future in
China would be assured, and that the task which it has taken upon
itself in the interest of civilization would be considerably lightened, if
it-could succeed in obtaining effective official support, near the Chinese
government, from the legations of the powers represented at Peking,
together with the adoption of direct measures in its favor by the Japa-
nese government, which has at all times given evidence of great good-
will toward the company and its operations in Japan, and which, in
view of its oriental character and the community of so many interests,
m ust certainly exert a great influence at Peking.
  The government of the King, having been solicited to express the de-
sires of the company to the governments represented at Peking, has not
thought proper to refuse compliance with this request, in view of the
immense importance of the development of telegraphic communication
in China to the commerce of the world in that country and in Japan.
   It is, therefore, in obedience to the orders of my government that I
 have the honor, Mr. Secretary of State, to address to you the present
 communication, for the purpose of begging the Government of the
 United States to be pleased to grant the powerful support of its legation
 at Peking to the operations in China of the Great Northern Telegraph
 Company, for the sake of bringing the Chinese government to recognize
 and appreciate the great advantages of the ulterior development of
 telegraphic communication in that country.
 AI have also received orders to request the Government of the United
 States to be pleased to use its good offices at Yeddo for the purpose of
 inducing the government of the Mikado to exert its influence at Peking
 in favor of the company.
   There is one more point which I am instructed to submit to the kind
 consideration of the Government of the United States.
   The company has every reason to believe that some of the interrup-
 tions to which the working of the cable is from time to time exposed are
 due to acts of violence, which are prompted either by thounghtlessness
 and malevolence or by the calculating spirit of persons interested in
 stopping telegraphic communication at a given moment.
   The company being unable by its own efforts to put a stop to these
 abuses, which are so detrimental to a regular and secure telegraphic
 service, it would be of the greatest importance to it to receive from the
 commanders of squadrons and of vessels stationed in Chinese waters-
 so far as this might be consistent with their duties-kind and active
 protection against these violent acts. which can be considered by the
 civilized world only as piracy and similar crimes, against which it is the
 duty of vessels of war to protect mankind.
       iBe pleased to accept, &c.,
                              J. HEGERMANK LINDENCRONE.


                              [Inclosure.]
                       Mr. Burlinga~nm to Yr. Twetgen.
                                                CHINESE LEGATION,
                                             Cop~enhagen, October 22, 1869.
   MY :DEAR SIn.: In response to your inquiring in relation to telegraphs
in China, I have to
 say that in 1S65 as United: States minister, t~he Chinese government, refusing
to grant a