Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-08
THE NEW CHINESE MINISTER.
HIS Arrival at San Francisco and the
lndignfty 20 which He Was
Subjected.
IBy telegraph to the Dispatch

IBy telegraph to the Dispatch.l
WAsHfNGToN, April THE Chi
nese Minister at Washington has made
a formal complaint to the Secretary Of
State in regard to the treatment of his
successor at San Francisco at the hands
Of United States customs officers. lie
bases his action on information received
from the Chinese Consul General at San
Francisco, who, it is understood, al-
leges that the new Minister and his
suite were subjected to UNUSUAL and
unnecessary annoyance and discourte-
sies on their arrival at that port. The
Secretary Of State referred the matter
TO the acting Secretary Of the Treasury,
who this afternoon telegraphed to the
collector of customs at San Francisco
for q statement of the conduct Of his
officers in the matter. Some surprise
is expressed at the Treasury Depart
uent that the landing Of the Minister
should have been attended by any de-
lay or embarrassment, in view Of the
fact that the collector at San Francisco
had been specially instructed to OK
tend him the usual courtesies due to
the representative of a foreign Govern
ment, such as allowing free entry of
his baggage and effects and affording
facilities for his uninterrupted transit
to Washington, or wherever else be de.
sired to 60.
A press dispatch received here at 2
o'clock this morning says that as the
Chinese Minister, followed by his suite
of about twenty persons, was about to
land at San Francisco from the steamer
Gaelic, be was stopped by a customs
officer, who informed him he could not
land until be had shown by properly
authenticated documents that he was
entitled to land in the United States.
The Chinese Consul and Consul General,
who were waiting to receive their dis
tinguished countryman, were indignant,
but the customs officer persisted, and
the Minister produced his credentials
accrediting him as Minister to the
United States Government. That was
not sufficient, however, and the Minis
ter's passport was produced, and after
duplicate certified copy had been
made the Embassy was allowed to pass.
A San Francisco dispatch Of to-day
gives the following statement Of the
affair from the Chinese Consul: Sec
rotary Bayard sent instructions to the
collector of this port to permit the
Legation to land freely and extend to
them every courtesy. Just at the mo-
ment his Excellency and suite were
about to step ashore the surveyor in
formed me that the collector had just
sent an order not to permit the Legation
to land until his Excellency's creden-
tails were sent to the custom.house for
examination. This was communicated
to his Excellency, who expressed
much surprise at the action of the
collector, remarking that his Gov
eminent had instructed him to
only present his credentials to
the President of the United States, add
ing that they were packed in his bag
gsge under seal and that it would be
very inconvenient to get at them at that
time, and therefore preferred to remain
on the ship until communication could
be had with Washington. Finally, after
a delay of an hour and half, the Min
lister and suite were permitted to leave
the ship.