【译文】
北京，1899年4月6日
尊敬的罗特希尔德勋爵：
我要感谢阁下1月20日的来信中对北京辛迪加所持的赞成意见。阁下所提及的特许权的某些条款，应该有实质改变。这些事项会被安排，而且所有的困难将被排除，因为现在各方面均公认这家企业必须建立在一个实际工作的基础上。
该辛迪加可依赖我的支持，这种支持或许对辛迪加在华的成功是必要的。更重要的是，辛迪加在大清必须有一个十分胜任的管理者;尤其应该是一位官方事务代表，能够掌控辛迪加所有同大清朝廷、各省和本地股票持有者的公共关系，这是超越技术和商务之上的。
经由利润分享，大清朝廷成为辛迪加真正的隐形搭档。辛迪加的运营包含北部省份山西和河南，现在实已掌握于手，不久陕西省可能也纳入其中，更不用说邻省的市场和公路将被有效利用起来。它在于辛迪加应该去证明更值得的久远信心，这将意味着(辛迪加)在中国会有更进一步的扩展。
为了双方的利益，这一切表明大清朝廷和辛迪加之间亲密关系的必要性;假如无论怎样一种良好的理解、明智的合作都不能较好地促进的话，这就需要一位能干的管理者，他能一方面维护辛迪加的利益，另一方面防止摩擦并增进相互间的信心。
这些重要事务，只能在合适的管理者手中，才能进展顺利，否则可能会出现无休止的麻烦。我强烈推荐勒·康门斗多·罗沙第先生成为董事会一员，并专门负责所有中国的公共和内部的各种利益。
罗沙第先生在中国有很好的知名度，源于他最大的功绩，即发现了特别的途径才导致了这些特许权(的顺利产生);他开启谈判[拉丁语标注：原文如此]在正确的时间并以正确的方式引导他们。直到他能够将企业完整地交到英国和意大利的部长们手中，供他们作正式验证。罗沙第先生的成功之处，在于绝大多数人的所有普通的外交手段都已失败。没有必要进一步去考虑他是否适合在中国工作，他无疑是辛迪加所需要的。
由于拥有如此多的优点，他使得很多中国官员——包括我本人在内都信心十足，而且开始支持我们的外交部。罗沙第先生似乎是独一无二的、非常有资格充当您在中国的官方行政官。与他会面并在该方面协助他，将使我非常喜悦。
静候佳音
阁下
您真诚的朋友
(署名)李鸿章
【原文】
peking,6 April 1899
Dear Lord Rothschild,
I have to thank your Lordship for your letter of 20th January with its favourable view of the Peking Syndicate.Your Lordship has referred to certain terms of the concessions which should be materially altered.These matters will be arranged and all difficulties removed ,for it is now admitted on all sides that this enterprise must be established on a practical working basis.
The Syndicate may count upon my support in whatever may be necessary for its success here.It is most important that the Syndicate should be represented in china by competent agents;and especially that there should be a representative for official affairs who should control all relations of the Syndicate with the Chinese Government,central,and provincial,and the native shareholders,-distinct from the technical,and commercial staff.
The chinese government is really a silent partner in the Syndicate by virtue of its sharing profits.The operations of the Syndicate embrace the Northern provinces of Shansi and Honan now actually in hand,with the province of Shensi probably to be added soon,-not to speak of neighbouring provinces whose markets and highways will be availed of;and it rests with the Syndicate to prove worthy of still further confidence,which will mean further expansion in China.
All this shows the necessity for intimate relations between the Chinese Government and the Syndicate for the advantage of both;and in no way can a good understanding and intelligent cooperation be better promoted than by employing a discreet tactful agent who can maintain the interests of the Syndicate on the one hand,while preventing friction and encouraging confidence on the other.
With these important interests in proper hands everything should go smoothly;otherwise there may be a plentiful crop of troubles and no extension of field.I strongly recommend that M.le Commendatore Luzzatti be appointed a member of the Board,with special charge over all Chinese interests both public and private.
M.Luzzatti is favourably known in china;to him is due the great merit of having discovered the particular channel which led to these concessions;he opened negociations[sic]at the right time and conducted them in the right way,until he was able to place the business complete in the hands of the British and Italian ministers for their formal verification.M.Luzzatti succeeded where most men,and certainly where all ordinary diplomacy,would have failed.No further proof of his fitness for work in China need be given,or doubtless will be required by the Syndicate.
With such merit;possessing as he does the confidence of so many Chinese officials-myself among the number,and being in favour with our Foreign Office,M.Luzzatti appears to be singularly well qualified to act as your official administrator for China.It would give me much gratification to meet and to assist him in that capacity.
I remain
My Lord,
Your sincere friend
(signed)Li Hung Chang
【文章选自】魏德卿主编，苏高文、史英豪编，《山西保矿运动历史研究：专家论文集》，北京，中国友谊出版公司，2012年8月第一版(206页～208页)
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