"On the eight rolls of this microcopy are reproduced eight volumes that consist, for the most part, of despatches addressed to the Department of State from United States consular officials at Tientsin, China, between January 6, 1868, and July 21, 1906. These despatches, with their enclosures, are arranged in chronological order; their contents are registered on the first roll of the microcopy. ... The records reproduced in this microcopy are part of the records in the National Archives designated as Record Group 59, General Records of the Department of State." -- p. 2.