685741-1879-China-Famine-KWO-TA-JEN-S-letter-of-thanks-to-Marquis-of-Salisbury- — Page 2

80

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 26TH FEBRUARY,1879.

No. 1.

Kuo ta-jên to the Marquis of Salisbury.

(Received October 15.)

Chinese Legation, 45, Portland Place, October 14, 1878.

MY LORD, I have been instructed by the Tsung-li Yamên and the Grand Secretary Li to request that your Lordship will have the good-

ness to present to the subscribers of the China

Famine Fund the grateful acknowledgment of the

Chinese Government for the generous alacrity

with which, on hearing of the fearful calamity

which had befallen the northern provinces of China, they hastened to the assistance of the

suffering population.

The noble philanthropy which heard, in a far- distant country, the cry of suffering, and hastened to its assistance, is too signal a recognition of the common brotherhood of humanity ever to be forgotten, and is all the more worthy of being remembered because it was not a mere passing response to a generous emotion, but a continued effort, persevered in until, in sending the welcome rain, Heaven gave the assuring promise of returning plenty, and the sign that the brotherly succour was no longer required.

Coming from Englishmen residing in all parts. of the world, this spontaneous act of generosity made a deep impression on the Government and people of China, which cannot but have the effect of more closely cementing the friendly relations which now so happily exist between China and the Government and the people of this country, But the hand that gave also assumed the arduous duty of administering the relief; and here I would not forget to offer my grateful thanks and condolence to the families of those (and they are not a few) who nobly fell in distributing the fund. : To Englishmen in all parts of the world I beg to offer, through your Lordship, the thanks of the Government and people of China for the generous assistance afforded by them in a time of great calamity; but I more especially desire to thank his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sir Thomas Wade, Sir Rutherford. Alcock, the Governor of Hongkong, and the various mis- sionary societies who inaugurated the China Famine Fund, supported it with their influence, and advanced it by their strenuous exertions.

Trusting that your Lordship will convey to them this acknowledgment of the Chinese Government,

I beg, &c.

(Signed) KUO SUNG-TAO.

No. 2.

The Marquis of Salisbury to Kuo ta-jên.

Foreign Office, October 25, 1878.

SIR,-I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant, convey- ing to me an expression of the grateful acknow- ledgments of the Chinese Government for the assistance rendered by Englishmen in all parts of the world towards relieving distress in the districts of China recently stricken by famine; and I beg leave to acquaint you, in reply, that I shall have great pleasure in communicating such acknow- ledgments to the persons who were instrumental in establishing the fund for the relief of the suffering population in China.

I am, &c., (Signed) SALISBURY.

戊寅

臣董

柯威

沙以

及

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旅

年

九

月廷

作

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九公

之是

英之發

足弗

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際難且煩佩

忘樂

國爲

八英國家聖會大監督 大臣藉 貴大臣代中國朝廷致謝旅居各國之英人因發慈悲於飢饉之際又特謝

大清欽差大臣郭 爲照會事現奉 總理衙門及 大學士李請 貴大臣俯允代 體甚而在飢饉場中喪生命者亦不乏人職是之故更覺於心戚戚銘刻難忘惟有翹足遙謝伊人之眷屬耳兹本 英人如此誠心樂助確足感動中國朝野之天致使中外君民永堅和好且樂善人不但解其餘囊更有勞其貴 之無窮施與不矜歴久弗直侍天降甘霖允協黎民之引領年稱大有不煩施主之關懷而後已竊思旅居各國之 發慈悲而踴躍解囊槖以用是仁愛之情足徵天下一家之道殊堪感佩永念不忘况不第慈悲之偶動實恩澤 大清國家致謝 貴國縉紳公會及凡捐資賑濟中國飢民者因一聞中國北飢饉輒集捐賑雖遠隔山河木遙聞號泣

大英欽命香港總督及旅居各國之

吳欽差大臣 剛二位公使

大英内政大臣侯爵沙 傳教會董事及以權力扶助建立賑飢局者敬請 貴大臣代中國朝廷

吉祉H崇須至照復者

照復 貴大臣此順候

中國飢民之賑飢局者外理合

日

一千八百七十八

至

王照復者 右照會

大清欽差大臣

清右吉

五

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貴大臣於本月十九日來文内

國之英人爲捐資賑濟中國內 開請代中國朝廷致謝旅居各

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