contains disastrous news regarding our works at Port Arthur. It says that 400 to 500 feet lineal of the new quay walls have tumbled down, that the rest will probably share the same fate, and that it will be necessary to recommence afresh, which with the outbreak of cholera, will' prevent the completion of the works within the prescribed time.
This news is untrue, from first to last no accident whatever has' befallen our walls they are as strong as ever and I only hope your correspondent will live as long as they stand.
As to your assertion that the works will not be completed within the time agreed upon, I trust to be able to satisfy you on that point before the expiration of the 22 months which still remain according to our agreement.
You affirm that those who have been attacked by cholera have no medical assist ance. I do not know if you mean Chinese medical assistance, but I can assure you that those who have been attacked by the epidemic, have had the care and attention of our French Doctor, M. Duchon-Doris, formerly Interne des Hépitaux de Paris, who was honoured with a medal in re: cognition of his ser at the time of the outbreak of cholera in Toulon in 1884. I have been an eye-witness to his cures of Chinese cholera patients.
The prescriptions which he in our yards, have greatly contributed to check the epidemic and to restore fidence among our workmen, A great many who had left, have returned lately and we have now 1,200 men employed our yards, T have to request you to insert this letter in your next issue, at the same time I reserve tu myself the right to see if T can legally suppress falsehoods of a nature cal-ted to injure our respectability and credit.
Tam, ete., Lh leur on chef des Pons of Chaussées, Chef de la Mission de Industrie Fi noise en Chine, (Signed) Tuevener.
Tientsin, 24th Oct. nday that the Protucol that was Lisbon was signed subject to the approval of the Tsung-li Thave again perused the Portuguese version of the Convention in order to find out when ther there was in it anything that could bear out your contention thai either the Portuguese vet contain all the clauses agreed on by the two Governments, or you have advanced an assertion that is not founded on facts.
The protocol signed at Lisbon being only a preliminary instrument, it is therein provided that a treaty would have to_be concluded and ratified at Peking; but. this does not constitute an opening enabling the Chinese Government " to back out o the ratification."
Of one thing you may be quite sure: the protocol was not signed until the full approval of the Chinese Government had been obtained, and it is clearly a piece of naa fides on the part of the Tsung-li Yamen torry to break an international engagement
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.