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American court of this high character will not only inspire American citizens in China with a feeling of confidence in the judicial administration under which they live, but will also be regarded by the Chinese Government itself as an indication of the solicitude of this Government for the worthy and impartial exercise of the judicial functions which are reserved to it under the extraterritorial provisions of our treaties. You will ask the Chinese Government to instruct the high authorities at Shanghai and the other treaty ports to the above effect, and to recommend to them cordial assistance to the new American officials in the performance of their duties.

You will communicate the substance of this instruction to the United States consuls in China, together with a copy of the inclosed act, enjoining on them zealous cooperation with the court on all occasions that may arise therefor.

The representatives of the foreign powers at Peking may be advised in such manner as your discretion suggests of the establishment of the new tribunal for the exercise of jurisdiction over American citizens in China.

I am, etc.,

ALVEY A. ADEE.

No. 80.]

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chinese Minister.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, November 10, 1906.

SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith two copies of an act approved on June 30 last, "creating a United States court for China and prescribing the jurisdiction thereof," and to advise you that in accordance with this act a United States court for China has been created, consisting of the following officials:

Lebbeus R. Wilfley, judge of the court.

Frank E. Hinckley, clerk.

Arthur Bassett, district attorney.

Orvice R. Leonard, marshal.

Judge Wilfley is now about to sail for China to put the court into operation.

I request you to advise your Government of this new tribunal for the exercise of jurisdiction over American citizens. It is my hope that the establishment of an American court of this high character, besides being acceptable to the citizens of this country resident in China, will also be regarded by the Chinese Government itself as an indication of the solicitude of the United States for the worthy and impartial exercise of the judicial functions reserved to it under our treaties with China.

I feel confident that the officials of this court may rely upon the cordial assistance of the high authorities of China in the performance of their duties in accordance with the treaties.

Accept, etc.,

ALVEY A. ADEE.

Consul-General Rodgers to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram-Abstract.]

SHANGHAI, December 17, 1906.

(Mr. Rodgers reports that the United States court opened this day, and requests that the department cable date of confirmation of the court officials.)

Third Assistant Secretary of State Wilson to Consul-General Rodgers.

[Telegram-Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 21, 1906.

(Mr. Wilson notifies Mr. Rodgers of the confirmation of the China court officers.)

OPENING OF THE CABLE BETWEEN SAN FRANCISCO AND

SHANGHAI.

President Roosevelt to the Empress Dowager and Emperor of China.

[Telegram.]

WASHINGTON, April 16, 1906.

I gladly take the opportunity afforded by the auspicious completion of the last link in the new American cable that joins the Pacific coast of this country to the Far East to offer Your Majesties my congratulations upon the achievement of a work that must needs contribute to the high purpose of bringing our two Governments and peoples closer together in the bonds of mutual understanding and lasting concord. It is fitting that this fresh tie between the Western and the Eastern continents should begin its happy service by bearing a message of good will, and I voice the earnest wish of this Government and of my countrymen for the happiness and welfare of Your Majesties and for the continued prosperity of the Chinese Empire and of your great people.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

The Emperor of China to President Roosevelt.

[Telegram.]

PEKING, CHINA,

April 17, 1906.

Greeting: We are very much pleased on receiving Your Excellency's special telegram of congratulation upon the auspicious completion of the new cable joining the Pacific coast of your country to the Far East. It is our sincere hope that by the completion of this new cable the commerce of your country and China will become more pros

perous.

By order of the Empress Dowager we now offer to Your Excellency our sincere congratulations. EMPEROR OF CHINA.

COLOMBIA.

ATTEMPT ON PRESIDENT REYES'S LIFE.

Minister Barrett to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

AMERICAN LEGATION, Bogotá, February 11, 1906.

Minister Barrett reports that three mounted men attempted to assassinate the President of Colombia while he was riding in his carriage in the suburbs yesterday morning by firing eight shots, five striking the carriage. He says the President was uninjured and the assailants escaped. The city is quiet, although there was much excitement and indignation at the cowardly attempt.

No. 42.]

Minister Barrett to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Bogotá, February 13, 1906. SIR: Supplementing my telegram of February 11, confirmed in my unnumbered dispatch of the same date, I have the honor to report in regard to an attempt to assassinate President Reyes on Saturday, February 10.

On the morning of that day the President was taking his customary ride to Chapinero, one of the suburbs of Bogotá, and in the carriage with him was his married daughter, Mrs. Valenzuela. On the box were simply the driver and one of his aids-de-camp. When about half way between Bogotá and Chapinero, three men, well mounted, suddenly rode up to the carriage and fired eight shots in rapid succession. Five of these entered the conveyance, two of them cutting respectively the hat and dress of the President's daughter, but neither of them hitting or wounding either her or the President. The aidde-camp emptied the contents of his revolver at the assailants, but they succeeded in getting away before the police or others could effect their capture.

The escape of the President and his daughter from death or serious injury would seem almost miraculous. Possibly the fact that the carriage was a closed one prevented the would-be assassin from taking good aim, while they may also have been disturbed in their plans by discovering that his daughter was with him and might be killed in the attack. The bullet holes in the carriage and in the dress and hat of Mrs. Valenzuela show that the weapons used were of heavy caliber and that it was the intention to make sure of the death of the President.

The incident occurred about 11.30 in the morning, and naturally, as soon as the news was spread abroad, great excitement followed, coupled with profound indignation at such a cowardly attempt when the President was accompanied by his daughter. The city was immediately placed under martial law and the entire police force equipped with rifles as a protection against any uprising of which this might have been the beginning. Notices were immediately posted on all the bulletin boards describing the affair and offering a reward on behalf of the Government of $1,000 gold each for the capture of the assailants. These three men are known, but up to this writing they have not been apprehended.

On Sunday a te deum was celebrated in the cathedral by the archbishop in thanks to the Almighty for the preservation of the life of the President. The palace was thronged Saturday night and Sunday with people of all classes extending their congratulations to the President on his escape. I called on him officially, as did my colleagues, as soon as we learned the particulars, and extended on behalf of my Government appropriate expressions of sympathy and felicitation.

In looking for an explanation of this assault I find various reasons ascribed, the principal one being that these men were possibly friends of some of the conspirators against the Government who have recently been exiled or who are now undergoing court-martial. It is also alleged that the inspiration of the attack lay in opposition to some of the policies of the Government, which are not popular with the people, while again it is contended that the assailants were members of a socialistic element in the community that employed this means of doing injury to the head of the nation.

Although it is painful to report an incident of this kind, it must be frankly admitted that political conditions here are far from being in a tranquil state, and that the future is pregnant with many unfortunate possibilities. It is my sincere hope that there may be no further demonstration against President Reyes, because it would seem as if he were the one man of the country who can, even with the troubled conditions that surround his administration, maintain permanent peace and eventually evolve prosperity for the country. Inclosed is a copy of the announcement published by President Reyes after the atempt was made to assassinate him.

I have, etc.,

JOHN BARRETT.

[Inclosure Translation.]

URGENT CIRCULAR.

(Governors, military inspectors, prefects, and alcaldes copy this.)

BOGOTA, February 10, 1906.

Governors BRIGARD AND AYALA, ZIPAQUIRA AND FACATATIVA:

At 11.30 a. m. to-day three assassins on horseback, near the bridge of Arzobispo, fired 8 revolver shots point-blank at me without wounding me or my daughter, Sophia, who was with me in the carriage. They fled along the highroad toward Chapinero-probably they will go toward Calera, Punte del Connin, Sopo, etc. Take horses from the stables, send the police mounted in pursuit of them, and bring them to this city, and give order by telegraph and post to all the alcaldes to arrest them.

A reward of $1,000 gold will be paid to those making the arrest of each individual.

Be calm and tranquil, and exert yourselves in giving guaranties to all peaceable citizens. Arrest those who may be suspected of complicity in the attempt, put them in jail, and send them to this city.

The affair is simply a frustrated assassination and can be considered as the dying agony of anarchy and revolution in our unfortunate country.

(Signed)

Work in unison and take great pains to preserve the peace.

REYES.

(Signed)

REYES.

The Secretary of State to Minister Barrett.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE. Washington, February 19, 1906.

(Mr. Barrett is directed to convey congratulations on President's fortunate escape.)

RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES WITH COLOMBIA.

The Colombian Minister to the Secretary of State.

[Translation.]

LEGATION OF COLOMBIA, Washington, D. C., October 21, 1905. SIR: The undersigned, representative of the weak Republic of Colombia, deems this an opportune moment to turn to you, as representative of the most powerful republic of modern times, with the request for a just, equitable, and complete diplomatic adjustment of the differences which have arisen between the two nations; or, if this should not be practicable, or if, once brought about, it should fail to produce satisfactory results for both or either of the parties, the undersigned would request that a convention be signed which should submit such differences to some form of arbitration honorable for both countries. The undersigned has all the more reason to hope for a favorable response to his proposition because the questions pending between Colombia and the United States are of exactly the same nature as those to which the numerous arbitration treaties relate which have been concluded by your Government with many other nations, both great and small, within less than a year. These said treaties, as you know very well, were submitted by the President to the Senate on December 14, 1904, and, with slight amendments which do not affect in the least the propositons of the undersigned, were all ratified almost unanimously by the Senate of the United States; so that the branches of your Government which have the authority to conclude treaties were in happy accord concerning the suitability of settling by arbitration the controversies mentioned in those treaties. The text of these treaties embraces "the differences of a legal nature which may arise, or which relate to the interpretation of the treaties existing between the contracting parties, and which it has been impossible to settle through diplomacy;" the only exceptions are those

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