Mr. Adee to Mr. Wu.
Washington, August 11, 1900.
Memorandum touching the joint telegram from Viceroys Li Hung Chang, Liu Kun-xi, and Chang Chih-Tung and Director-General Sheng, dated at Nankin, August 10, and communicated to Mr. Adee by Mr. Wu August 11, having reference to the landing of foreign troops at Shanghai.
The question whether any power should land troops at Shanghai for the protection of its citizens and interests in that part of China is one which each power must determine for itself. If we consider it necessary for the protection of our citizens at Shanghai to land troops there, we should do so, as we have done at Taku; and we can not question the right of any other power having treaty rights at that port to do the same.
If the communication delivered by Mr. Wu is to be regarded as an appeal for our good offices with the others powers to prevent action injurious to China, it is impossible that we should take any step in that direction so long as the Chinese Government has not complied with the requirements of the President’s letter of July 23.