[Inclosure.] Student interpreters in China. The diplomatic and consular act approved March 22, 1902, having provided for ten student interpreters in China, the following rules governing the appointment, organization, etc., of the corps have been adopted: 1. The student interpreters must be citizens of the United States. 2. The student interpreters are to devote themselves, under the direction and supervision of the United States minister at Pekin, to the study of the language of China with a view to supplying interpreters to the legation and consulates in China, and their retention will depend on the ability and progress which they show in mastering the language and on their general steadiness and good conduct. They shall apply themselves exclusively to the study of the Chinese language for a period of two years, under the direction of the minister of the United States. In order that their progress in acquiring a knowledge of the language may be determined they shall be examined quarterly by the Chinese secretary of the legation of the United States and annually by a board composed of the Chinese secretary and two resident Americans properly qualified. During the period of two years the student interpreters may not be detached from their studies for duty in the legation or consulates. 3. At the expiration of two years the student interpreters may be detailed for duty as interpreters or assistants in the legation and consulates in China, where they shall be subordinate to and under the direction of the person in responsible charge of the office, and may be required to perform any official duties in addition to those of interpreter. 4. After the expiration of two years student interpreters may be granted leave of absence for a period not to exceed sixty days (exclusive of transit when expressly granted) in any one year. The application for such leave of absence shall be made to the Secretary of State, and must receive the approval of the officer under whom the student interpreter may be serving at the time. 5. The salary of student interpreters is fixed by law at the rate of $1,000 per annum. The cost of tuition is to be borne by the student interpreters. 6. Student interpreters shall be appointed by the President, after examination hereinafter provided for, and the appointments shall be nonpartisan, so far as may be consistent with aptness and fitness for the intended work. 7. Upon receiving such appointment each student interpreter shall sign an agreement to continue in the service as interpreter to the legation and consulates in China so long as his said services may be required within a period of ten years. 8. No person drawing the salary of student interpreter shall be allowed any part of the salary appropriated for any secretary of legation or other officer. 9. Student interpreters shall be appointed only after they shall have successfully passed an examination before a board of three persons designated by the Secretary of State, who shall also prescribe the subjects to which such examination shall relate and the general mode of conducting the same by the board. Immediately upon the conclusion of such examination, the examining board will make to the Secretary of State a report in writing, stating whether in their judgment the candidate is or is not qualified for the position, and, if the decision is adverse to the candidate, summarizing the grounds of such decision. 10. The subjects to which an examination shall relate shall be those only which pertain to general education and shall not include questions of a technical nature. 11. Candidates must be of sound health and not be under 18 or over 30 years of age at the date of examination. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, July 15, 1902. JOHN HAY. Mr. Adee to Mr. Conger. No. 556.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have to inform you that the President has appointed Messrs. Thomas W. Haskins, of Los Angeles, Cal.; Julean H. Arnold, of Sacramento, Cal.; Frederick D. Cloud, of Des Moines, Iowa; and Harry M. Robins, of Grand Rapids, Mich., as four of the student interpreters provided for by the diplomatic and consular appropriation act of March 22, 1902. Messrs. Haskins and Arnold are expected to sail on the army transport leaving San Francisco on September 1. Messrs. Cloud and Robins have not yet announced their intentions as to departure. I inclose for your information a copy of the instructions sent to these gentlemen. You will see that no reference is made therein to the payment of tuition, for which no expressed provision is made by the act. The Department is disposed to defray this expense in the same manner as the tuition in the case of the second secretary at Pekin is paid; but before deciding definitely it desires to receive from you a report as to the exact outlay which would be required on this account for the ten students. ALVEY A. ADEE, I am, etc., [Inclosure.] Acting Secretary. Instructions to student interpreters in China, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 26, 1902. SIR: The President having appointed you to be one of the ten student interpreters in China, provided for by the diplomatic and consular act approved March 22, 1902, and you having signed the agreement required by the act to continue in the service as interpreter to the legation and consulates in China so long as your said services may be required within a period of ten years, I inclose herewith your commission. You are to devote yourself under the direction and supervision of the United States minister at Peking, to the study of the Chinese language, and your retention will depend on the ability and progress which you show in mastering the language, and on your general steadiness and good conduct. You are to apply yourself exclusively to the study of the Chinese language for a period of two years, under the direction of the minister of the United States, and in order that your progress in acquiring a knowledge of the language may be determined, you will be examined quarterly by the Chinese secretary of the legation, and annually by a board composed of the Chinese secretary and two resident Americans properly qualified. During the period of two years you may not be detached from your studies for duty in the legation or consulates. At the expiration of two years you may be detailed for duty as interpreter or assistant in the legation or in any of the consulates in China, where you shall be subordinate to and under the direction of the person in responsible charge of the office, and may be required to perform any official duties in addition to those of interpreter. After the expiration of two years, you may be granted leave of absence for a period not to exceed sixty days (exclusive of transit when expressly granted) in any one year. The application for such leave of absence shall be made to the Secretary of State and must receive the approval of the officer under whom you may be serving at the time. Your salary is fixed by law at the rate of $1,000 per annum, beginning on the date of your arrival at the legation at Peking, and you may draw upon the Secretary of State as it may become due monthly, supporting your draft by an account. In availing yourself of this authorization, you will be careful not to exceed in the amount drawn for the sum to which you may be entitled in account with the United States at the date of your drafts. In addition you will be entitled to compensation at the rate of your salary for the time occupied in receiving instructions in the United States, beginning on the date of your oath of office and not exceeding thirty days, and for the time actually and necessarily occupied in transit, by the most convenient route, between the place of your residence and the legation at Peking, not exceding sixty days. Your account for the period occupied in receiving instructions, not to exceed thirty days, should, if practicable, be made out and settled at the Department before you leave for Peking. On reaching Peking you will make out a separate account for the period of transit and draw on the Secretary of State for the amount due. I am, etc., ALVEY A. ADEE, Acting Secretary. No. 1077.] Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of Department's instructions, No. 545, inclosing copies of the rules which have been adopted governing the appointment, organization, etc., of the corps of student interpreters in China. It is greatly to be regretted that Congress did not make more liberal provisions for this service. Unless some arrangement can be made for housing these young men and paying their teachers, in addition to their small salaries, it will be impossible for them to live here. They can not live outside of the legation quarter. If, under these conditions, any shall be appointed, they will be constantly embarrassed and humiliated by the contrast of their situation with that of the European students, whose passage out and all expenses of instruction are paid by their Governments, as well as comfortable residences provided for them. As I have heretofore written, there are some old Chinese houses within our legation tract which can be temporarily made fairly comfortable for them, but some extensive repairs will have to be made. I trust, therefore, that when it is ascertained definitely that any will come, the Department can find some way to have repaired and set apart these houses for their use, and that I may be instructed so to do in anticipation of their arrival. The I can not accurately estimate the cost until I know how many are coming, and how many houses will consequently be needed. probability is that the Koreans will occupy the best of these houses, and those left for the students will require considerable repairs; probably $2,000 if only five students come, and $4,000 should there be ten. Each student must have his separate teacher, who will cost him $12 Mexican per month. E. H. CONGER. I have, etc., Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay. No. 1107.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of instruction No. 556, of August 27 last, with information that the President had appointed four student interpreters provided for by the diplomatic and consular appropriation act of March 22, 1902, and that two of these, Messrs. Haskins and Arnold, were sailing hither on the army transport leaving San Francisco September 1, and inclosing copy of their instructions. You state that the Department is disposed to defray the expense of their Chinese teachers in the same manner as in the case of the second secretary of this legation, but, before deciding which definitely, you instruct me to report as to the exact outlay which will be required on this account for the ten students. The Chinese teacher employed for the second secretary has been paid $12 Mexican per month for two hours each day. For six or seven hours per day, which is the time required of teachers in the other legations, it will cost now $20 Mexican per month, and each student must have a separate teacher. Hence the entire expense for the ten students will be regularly $200 Mexican per month. Some legations pay less than this, but this is now paid by the British legation, and we will have to do the same. If, during the heated term, the students go into the country for a brief period, as other students here do, and as seems absolutely necessary on account of their health, the expense of taking their teachers out and an extra amount for rice will have to be paid, probably about $6 per month. This would be $60 per month for, say, two months, making the total for the whole year for the ten students, $2,520 Mexican. I respectfully recall attention to my No. 1077, of August 29 last, and again urge the importance of Congress making more liberal appropriations for these young men and the imperative necessity of including a suitable house for them among the new legation buildings. I have, etc., E. H. CONGER. No. 580.] Mr. Hay to Mr. Conger. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 28, 1902. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 1077, of August 29 last, and to inform you that an item for $8,000, for the erection of a suitable building for the accommodation of the ten student interpreters, and another for $1,000 for the payment of the yearly cost of their tuition, have been inserted in the estimates for the next fiscal year. I am, etc., JOHN HAY. SIR: I have the honor to confirm your telegram" of the 24th ultimo and to say that the Chinese Government has granted permission to the a Printed, page 6. United States consular officers in China to use their good offices in representation of Cuba and its interests until Cuban consuls shall have been appointed. I inclose copies of correspondence with the foreign office and notice to our consular officers. YOUR HIGHNESS: I have the honor to inform Your Highness that, at the request of the President of the Cuban Republic, my Government has instructed me to respectfully ask the Chinese Government if it will not permit the United States consular officers in China to use their good offices in the representation of the interests of Cuba and her citizens until such time as Cuban consuls shall have been appointed to reside in the Empire. Trusting that I may have the early pleasure of informing my Government that the requested permission is granted, I improve the occasion to reassure Your Highness, etc., E. H. CONGER. F. O., No. 371.] [Inclosure 2.] Prince Ch'ing to Mr. Conger. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your excellency's dispatch with reference to the request of the President of the Cuban Republic, and that your Government has instructed your excellency to respectfully ask the Chinese Government if it will not permit the United States consular officers in China to use their good offices in the representation of the interests of Cuba and its citizens until such time as Cuban consuls shall have been appointed to reside in the Empire. Your excellency hoped to have the early pleasure of informing your Government that the requested permission is granted. China has hitherto had a consul-general in Cuba, and the fact that the treaty powers have recognized Cuba's independence, makes it proper that the consul-general appointed by the Chinese Government to Cuba continue to reside there as of old. As to the request by your excellency that the United States consular officers in China should represent the interests of Cuba, this, for the time being, is granted as a matter of course and to manifest our friendly feelings. As in duty bound, I send this reply, that your excellency may convey the same to your Government. A necessary dispatch. Dated, 23d of the fourth moon (May 30, 1902). [Inclosure 3.] Mr. Conger to United States consular officers in China. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Peking, May 31, 1902. GENTLEMEN: By direction of the honorable Secretary of State and permission of the Chinese Government, you are instructed to use your good offices, whenever necessary, in representation of the interests of Cuba and its citizens within your respective jurisdiction until such time as Cuban consuls shall have been appointed. Very respectfully, yours, E. H. CONGER. |