For a number of years in the late 19th Century the United States maintained an informal defacto concession at Tientsin. Although the records are unclear, it appears that this was a local arrangement between the American Consul at Tientsin and the local Chinese Governor or taotai. Extracts from a letter by Consul Ragsdale in 1901 indicate that there is no evidence that a concession was formally recognized by the United States government or the U.S. State Department. This letter reference is appended at the bottom of this page.

The 23 acre concession was measured off in 1860 along with the initial British and French Concessions. It was administered after a fashion by the local American Consul. Since no official funds were available for improvement of the concession, and there were few Americans involved in mercantile endeavors in Tientsin, there were no civic improvments made and district failed to prosper.

In the Autumn of 1880 the consul contacted the local taotai and informed him that the plot commonly referred to as the American Concession was reverting to Chinese control. There was a proviso that the district might be re-established as a concession at some future date should the United States government wish to. This was never done. Local usage and habit caused this district to continue to be referred to as the American Concession.

In 1896 there was some activity suggesting that the plot of land be assigned to Germany. This came to naught because it was discovered that the land was no longer under the jurisdiction of the United States.

Following the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 there was considerable discussion among State Department officials on the ground in China regarding re-establishing an American Concession or creating an International Settlement at Tientsin. Mr. Conger, the American Minister to China, resisted the notion of an American Concession and the proposed International Settlement didn't materialize. Following much diplomatic effort, the former American district, now wedged between the British and German Concessions and not administered by any government, was absorbed by the British municipality in 1902.

Provision was made in the British Concession's 1919 Land Regulations for one American to be elected or appointed to serve with the British Municipal Council but this is not known to have happened. When the British reorganized their local municipality in 1928 this provision was withdrawn at the request of the United States Government.

In 1917, following the termination of Germany's Concession, American military forces took over the leasehold on the former German Barracks. The concession itself became the First Special Area. Special Areas had special rules. They were Chinese territory but administered to a higher standard than a Chinese city with a separate governing committee.  Usually a Special Area was administered by the local Chinese officials dealing with foreigners with some input from the local residents.

The U.S. Army's 15th Infantry Regiment and attached supporting elements were garrisoned in Tientsin from January, 1912 until March 1938. The U.S. Marine Corps furnished a small detachment (40-50 Marines) of the Legation Guard from 1938 until surrendering to Japanese forces on December 8, 1941.

On January 11, 1943 the United States terminated its unequal treaties with China and the ghost of the nearly mythical American Concession passed into history.

The following reference is quoted from The Boxer Rebellion. Paul H. Clements. New York: AMS Press, Inc. 1967. Footnote from page 169 and following. The source is given as U.S. Foreign Relations, 1901, page 50.

Letter from Consul Ragsdale to Major Foote regarding the American Concession at Tientsin:

“Sir: With reference to the old American concession at Tientsin, and in compliance with your request, I have the honor to submit that in the year 1869 there was laid out at Tientsin three tracts of land for English, French, and American residents, and that for some years our government exercised in a way jurisdiction over the same.”

“On October 12, 1880, the concession was relegated to its former status (meaning back to China)” “With the understanding that if at some future time it shall become desirable to establish suitable municipal regulations therein it shall be competent for the consular authorities to do so.”

“Under the date of October 14, 1880, the Taotai Cheng acknowledged receipt of the dispatch sent to him by the Consul two days before, and it stated that if any American consul in future should desire to have the settlement revert to the present system of administration he must first arrange with the customs taotai as to the mode of administration, and if there be nothing objectionable in the same there should be nothing to prevent the settlement from reverting to the original Government.”

“Sometime in the year 1896 a movement was on foot to cede this territory to the Germans, against which action a protest was filed and correspondence in relation thereto with the State Department followed, and finally on April 2, 1896, the Minister (Denby) advised that all jurisdiction over the property be abandon, and on June 25 instructed the United States Consul at Tientsin to advise the taotai to that effect.”

Then Consul Ragsdale gives an opinion of his own. ”It has never been the policy of our Government to acquire territory abroad, and that policy may be a wise one in most instances, but at Tientsin I think it would be wise for our Government to have some place over which they could exercise some control. The trouble in north China is not over (this was Feb. 15, 1901), and the final settlement day is a long ways off, etc.”

Minister Denby, October 15, 1896, made a pertinent observation: “As there is no record showing that any concession was ever actually made to the United States, and in view of further fact that we, many years ago, relinquished whatever control we may have been allowed to exercise over the land, it would seem that we are not in a position to maintain that we are entitled to resume jurisdiction over the tract even if it is desirable to do so.

Consul James W. Ragsdale was the American Consul at Tientsin. Major Foote was attached to the staff of General Chaffee, commanding the American forces in North China during and immediately following the Boxer Rebellion.

Created by Phil Abbey. Uploaded April 26, 1999. Revised and uploaded March 26, 2005. Comments to pr_abbey@hotmail.com.