The following translation, with which we have been favoured, of a circular letter addressed by the Tsungli-Yamen to the Foreign Ministers, in reference to Mr. Burlingame's appointment, is interesting. Ut was written at the outset of the embasay, and purports to explain the intention of the Mission.
"Gireular Despatch of the Board for the General Control of Individual States' affairs to the Foreign Ministers resident in Poking, explanatory of the object of the Burlingame Mission.
How the respectfully transcribed Rescripts, by which our greatexalted Monarch appointed the former agent of the Mey State, His Excellency P'u, together with Wis Excellency Chih and His Excellency S'un, connected with this Board, to proceed as envoys ofthe Central State to the various States, bound by treaty, for the management of business arising out of the (commercial) intercourse" between the Sentral (State) and the Outer (States, have been made known to you—stands on record. The Prince and the Ministers, however, apprehensive lest the Ministers of the Individual States, who are temporarily sojourning in the Capital, should not understand how three persons, all at the same time appointed by the Central State, as enveys, are to manage their Individual States business, now once more address you in order to render their object perfectly clear, and to obviate every doubt and suspicion, on the subject.
As on the part of two states, upon good terms with each other, it is the custom of the various greater Western States mutually to appoint (Public) messengers, 20, having for years past been on good terms with your honorable state, we should before this have appointed High Officials to proceed thither for the management of inter-statal business matters; but owing to our being as yot little familiar with the language and the usages of the various states, this has thus far been delayed. At present, however, HisExcelleney* P'n, an impartial, straightforward and peaceably disposed man, thorouzlily conversant with the re-of the Central (State) and the Outer (States), is willing to act for the Central State, and as he, moreover, enjoys the confidence of the Central State, we have memorialised the throne, praying that he might be appointed to proceed to the various States, bound by treaty, in the capacity of an Imperial envoy, with PS and TS for first and second Secretaries, to attend to the matter in question.
If, however, no High Officials of the Central State itself be sent, we should, as before, remain in ignorance of Mission matters. Hence we further memorialised the Throne, praying that His Excellency Chih and His Excellency S'un might also be appointed Imperial Messongers and proceed simultaneously, partly as a mani-testation of good understanding, partly as an opportunity to learn by experience. For, should this prove to answer, on the strength of the influence of the Hon. Pu and the two Secretaries Pé and TS, and all matters be satisfactorily and duly settled, then, if the Central State were, hereafter, to see occasion for another mission, the path to be followed would manifestly have been struck out, and the transaction of business be yreatly'facilitated.
Meanwhile, when the time for your honorable State shall have arrived to have business-matters transacted, His Excellency P'u will alone have to be looked to in deliberating upon the nature of whatever arrangements may be proposed; while His Excellency Chih and His Excellency S'un, after consulting with His Excellency Pru, will have to conduct the correspondence, relating thereto, with the Board for Veneral Control of the the Central Thus, the arrangements will be of and complete character, and on both sides be subject to no obstacle or impediment; the Hon. P'u being thoroughly conversant with the language and the peculiarities of the Outer (States,) and their Excellencies Chih and S'un being not less intimately acquainted with the mode of correspondence and the essential relations of the Central State. After all, however, the present is but a first beginning in conducting this sort of business, adapted and suitable to the times, and is by no means to serve as a constant rule for the future.
We request, then, that you will transmit these views to the High officials in office in your honorable State, in order that when, on the arrival of our envoys, the time for the transaction of business comes, they may have a basis to proceed upon 'A communication, necessary for instruction (and guidance.)
To His... Excellency [ete., as before.]
th year of Tung-Chih, the 12th day of the 11th month (December 7, 1867.)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.