Shanghai, 24th July, 1869. His Excellency, Tu, Taotai of Shanghai.
Sir,—The undersigned Consuls have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your rejoinder, under date the 19th instant, on the subject of a proposed telegraph line between this place and the Kintoan Beacon.
they regret that they cannot express their satisfac tion at the nature of the conclusion at which you have trived.
That the grounds upon which this conclusion are based are ofa purely speculative character, has been abundantly proved by (actual experience in this very settlement, where, as you are aware, lines of telegram hic wires have for months past run over the hi of foreigners and Chinese alike, and in many instances are actually attached to their dwelling houses, without having caused any deleterious effect or influence whatever, An objection such as that of." {éng-shuy" should not at any rate be allowed to have muy weight as against a scheme for the protection of life and property, and of important commercial interest, which. formed the subject of the representation made to you.
The precedent of Mr.. Reynold's case, which you quote in support of your theory as to the objectionable Character of t telegraphs is moreover so erroneously adduced as to be inapplicable as an argument, It is not the fact that the posts were clandestinely planted. Mr. Reynold's operations were at the time notorious to the general public. He began with the Pootung bank of the river it is true, but he succeeded in layin; the whole line, 227 posts, as far as the Beacon, 1 di tance of sixteen miles, and he occupied three weeks in the work, during all which period he encountered no interference nor molestation of any kind cither from the people or the Authorities. The posts were eventually removed in one night, but for what reason whose instigation have not yet been proved.
The Consuls would prefer accepting the latter part of your letter as affording the truest exposition of the state of the case, and inferring therefrom that your honorable government objects to the indiscriminate introduction of telegraphs just at present, on the grounds of inexpediency.
In this view of the case, whilst regretting their failure to receive your support, they propose, to bring the matter to the notice of their several Ministers resident at Peking, and to request them to recommend the adoption of the scheme which they have at heart as a purely exceptional measure in the interest of the foreign and native shipping resorting to this port.
With renewed expressions of their consideration. The undersigned have the honor to be, Your obedient Servants,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.