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The above will perhaps make clear the object for which the Boxer indemnity was asked and received and the general manner in which, in so far as private claims are concerned, it has been devoted to that object. The various steps in the negotiations relating to the indemnity were as follows:

December 22, 1900.

The foreign representatives sent in a joint note consisting of twelve articles setting forth certain demands.

Article VI stated that China should pay equitable indemnities for states, companies or societies, private individuals and certain Chinese,

ctc.

December 30, 1900.

The foreign representatives received a reply to their note of the 22d, embodying an imperial decree dated the 27th, accepting all of the twelve articles.

January 7, 1901.

Foreign representatives formulated their twelve articles into a protocol and submitted this to the Chinese plenipotentiaries for signature.

January 16, 1901.

Each foreign minister received from the Chinese plenipotentiaries a copy of the aforesaid protocol duly signed and sealed, and also a copy of the imperial decree accepting all of the demands.

May 7, 1901.

The foreign ministers submitted statement to China showing their losses to be 450,000,000 taels. This joint note was not a demand for the above-named amount, but was sent to the Chinese plenipotentiaries to enable them to give formal expression as to the limits of China's ability to pay and the means she proposed taking.

May 11, 1901.

Reply of Chinese plenipotentiaries re indemnity of 450,000,000 taels, proposing monthly method of payment of above amount for thirty years, but begging that total be reduced.

May 28, 1901.

A list of the indemnities asked by the foreign powers until the 1st of July and prepared by the committee on the payment of indemnities was

circulated by the dean of the diplomatic corps among his colleagues. The amount given as representing the total claim of the United States. was $25,000,000, or 34,072,500 taels. In the opinion of the committee, as stated in the dean's note, the total indemnity would not, when adjusted, exceed 450,000,000 taels.

May 30, 1901.

A note from Chinese plenipotentiaries to dean of diplomatic corps accepting 450,000,000 taels.

May 30, 1901.

A note from Chinese plenipotentiaries to dean of diplomatic corps accepting 450,000,000 taels, with interest at 4 per cent., for the indemnity embodying an imperial edict dated the 29th of May covering the above

amount.

September 7, 1901.

Final protocol signed by plenipotentiaries of all the powers in which it is agreed that the indemnity should be paid in thirty-nine annual installments, with interest at rate of 4 per cent per annum.

Article 6 (b). The service of the debt was to take place in Shanghai as follows:

"Each power shall be represented by a delegate on a commission of bankers authorized to receive the amount which shall be paid it by the Chinese authorities designated for that purpose, to divide it among the interested parties, and to give a receipt of the same."

Article 6 (c). "The Chinese Government shall deliver to the dean of the diplomatic corps a bond for the lump sum, which shall subsequently be converted into fractional bonds bearing the signature of the delegates of the Chinese Government designated for that purpose. This operation and all those relating to issuing of the bonds shall be performed by the above-mentioned commission, in accordance with the instructions which the powers shall send their delegates."

John K. Moir, of the International Banking Corporation in Shanghai, was chosen the delegate of the United States on the commission of bankers at Shanghai.

October 13, 1901.

The bond for the lump sum of 450,000,000 taels was delivered by the Chinese plenipotentiaries to the dean of the diplomatic corps, in compliance with paragraph (c) of Article VI of the final protocol.

June 14, 1902.

At a meeting of the representatives of the powers held in Peking on the 14th of June an agreement was signed declaring a definite apportionment of the indemnity and accepting on behalf of their governments such apportionment.

The United States took 32,939,055 taels, or $24,440,778.81 gold, with interest at 4 per cent per annum from July 1, 1901.

May 18, 1904.

The original fractional bond was signed by the commissioners of the Chinese Government and the commissioners of the United States Government, and was subsequently filed in the Department of State under cover of a letter from the International Banking Corporation of the above date.

July 2, 1905.

A new method of calculating payments and interest was presented in the form of a collective note by the representatives of the powers and subsequently agreed to by China.

December 15, 1906.

New bond based on collective note of July 2, 1905, signed and subsequently forwarded to the Department of State.

January 11, 1907.

Chinese Government was notified that henceforth the United States' share of the payments under the indemnity is to be paid direct to the United States Treasurer instead of through the International Banking Corporation of Shanghai.

The bond with the International Banking Corporation has since been canceled, owing to the above arrangement.

Following is a summary of the successive steps taken in the settlement of claims of American companies, societies, and individuals, and certain Chinese, for losses and damages growing out of the disturbances of 1900; schedule of the claims paid, etc.:

September 2, 1901.

Minister Conger transmitted to the Department copy of a letter addressed to him by certain American citizens having claims against the Chinese Government, requesting information as to the status of their claims and the procedure to be adopted in establishing them.

He suggested that many of the claimants should submit to a considerable reduction and that the local facts and conditions surrounding many of the claims rendered it very desirable that their examination should be made in China by some one familiar with the situation and local values. He expressed the hope also that an early adjustment of these claims would be reached.

One hundred and forty-six claims had up to this time been brought to the attention of the Department of State and the legation at Peking, most of them consisting of bare statements of facts by the claimants and estimated amounts of loss or damage, unaccompanied by evidence.

January 14, 1902.

The Department concurred with the legation that many of the claims should be reduced and that their investigation should be made in China. by some one familiar with local conditions. The minister was instructed to designate one person from the legation and one from the consular service who would investigate the claims and determine what amount should be allowed in each case. The recommendations of these commissioners were to be submitted to the minister for revision, and the whole to be subject to the final revision and approval of the Department of State.

The commissioners were required to make a report on each claim, reciting the evidence of citizenship and of the fact and amount of loss or damage upon which the claim was based.

The commissioners were to be allowed from the indemnity paid by China their reasonable and necessary expenses while engaged in this work and such additional compensation as was reasonable and equitable. Due publicity through consuls and other officers was to be given all claimants of the establishments of the commission and the nature of its work.

March 14, 1902.

Minister Conger reported the designations of the persons who were to constitute the commission - Messrs. William E. Bainbridge, second secretary of legation at Peking, and James W. Ragsdale, American consulgeneral at Tientsin. The minister further expressed his views as to the extent and difficulty of the commissioners' task.

Minister Conger, in an instruction to the commissioners on the above date, said: "Reasonable notice of the sittings of the commission in the several localities should be given to the claimants in advance."

May 3, 1902.

The legation was instructed to forward to the Department, from time to time and as soon as passed on, all claims in order that the sums awarded could be distributed as speedily as practicable. The Department also suggested that as much of the work as possible should be done at or near Peking. The regulations prepared by the committee on indemnities and approved by the representatives of the powers in Peking on March 13, 1901, were not accepted by all the powers, and were therefore binding on none. However, it was believed by the Department they might be suggestive and instructive to the commission.

The indemnity in each case was to be fully and substantially compensatory, excluding all merely speculative or imaginary claims or elements of damages.

November 17, 1902.

The commission submitted its final report to the minister.

Its members were designated by the minister on March 14, 1902, and they began the work of examination of claims on May 5, 1902.

The Chinese Government, having recognized its responsibility for the Boxer outbreak, agreed to pay, pursuant to Article VI of the collective note of the powers, dated December 22, 1900, "equitable indemnities for governments, societies, companies, and private individuals, as well as for Chinese who have suffered during the late events in person or in property in consequence of their being in the service of foreigners."

The commission was not authorized to deal with losses sustained by the Government of the United States.

Two hundred and thirty claims for indemnities were filed with the commission by citizens of the United States, aggregating $3,308,036.18. These figures include $39,254.72 which represents the total amount of claims submitted to the commission by Chinese in the employ of Americans.

In a general way these claims may be classified as follows:

I. Claims of missionary societies and individuals.

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The total amount disallowed or withdrawn was $1,804,385.69. amount allowed on claims was $1,383,650.49.

allowed, $130,642.39; thus placing the total

The

The amount of interest

amount allowed by the

commission on private claims at $1,514,292.88. This amount, however,

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