every nation which has a treaty can and will demand everything
granted to all other nations.
  The prince, therefore, persistently held tohlis impossible stipulation,
and said, " When the Peruvians bring back all the coolies we will make
a treaty with them."
  The leading points of the conversation are embodied in my letter to
the prince of September 18, (inclosure 2,) and his reply of the 20th,
(inclosure 3,) with mine to the Peruvian envoy of the 22d, (inclosure 4.)
in this last I also allude to the influence which the discussion with the
Spanish charge d'affaires has probably had upon his decision. The two
complaints from the Chinese now in Peru, made known to the Yamun
by this legation in 1869 and 1871, have also produced an effect in lead-
ing them to the conclusion that it is better to make no more treaties
admitting contract labor.
  Previous to his arrival in China, Sefior Garcia sent one of his suite
from Japan to Peking to learn exactly the state of affairs. He reached
Tien-tsin last month on his way hither; but the governor-general heard
of his arrival, and when he essayed to go on as a private individual in
company with a Frenchman, the boat was stopped at the floating bridge,
and he was compelled to turn back.
  The last part of this correspondence gives only the results of the
visit of the Peruvian legation to Tien-tsin.
  Sefor Garcia's conclusion to come up the coast was (inclosures 5 and
6) approved by all whom he consulted ; and I have no doubt that the gov-
ernor-general had been instructed from Peking how to receive him.

  I have not heard whether Selior Garcia has been able to act upon the
suggestions in my reply to him, (inclosure 7,)-or what other plan he has
adopted. He has probably conferred with the commissioners to Cuba,
who passed through Tien-tsin last week on their way to Shanghai; and
decided his course of action before the river closes.
       I have, &c.,
                                              S. WELLS WILLIAMS.

                        [Inclosure 1, in No. 11.-Translation.]
                        Scilor Garcia to M,1r. Williams.
                                PERUVIAN LEGATION TO CHINA AND JAPAN,
                                                       Yedo, August 25, 1873.
  SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt, in reply to my note to that
legation,
dated June 15, 1873, of the Hon. Mr. Low's two dispatches to me, dated respectively
July 5, (in duplicate,) containing a copy of his note of the same date, addressed
to His
Imperial Highness Prince Kung in regard to my mission in China, and July
17, inclos-
ing a translation of the prince's answer to Mr. Low, dated July 6, 1873.
  I have since had the pleasure of a conference with Mr. Low, at Yokohama,
in refer-
ence to his dispatches and their inclosures, and it is gratifying to me to
address the
present communication to you as the representative of the United States,
a country
which has always been friendly to mine. I feel more at liberty to do this,
not only be-
cause you aFe authorized by your Government to aid this legation, and on
account of
Mr. Low's kind offer, contained at the end of his dispatch of July 5; but
also because
I am convinced that the merited influence which your long residence and distinguished
services in China must have given you will certainly help me to accomplish
the highly
honorable and worthy objects of my mission, which are as beneficial to the
Chinese
Empire as they are to Peru.
  Before anything else, I may be permitted to express my great surprise and
disap-
T ointment at the immediate result of Mr. Low's'friendly action. Although
written
only twenty-four hours after the American minister's letter, Prince Kung's
reply is, as
Mr. Low himself calls it, "decided" and "curt." declining
to make a treaty with Peru.
  This is the more to be wondered at, in presence of the fact of a Peruvian
mission
being at the gates of that empire, having traveled an enormous distance,
and come to


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'CHINA.