Mr. Adee to Mr. Jackson.
Washington, August 10, 1900.
(Mr. Jackson is instructed to deliver the following message to the foreign office in the form of a memorandum dated August 10:)
The Government of the United States will be much gratified to secure the command of so distinguished and experienced an officer as Count Waldersee for any combined military operations in which the American troops take part after the arrival of that officer in China to [Page 332] attain the purposes declared by this Government in the circular note delivered to the powers under date of July 3.
The general commanding the American forces in China has already been authorized to agree with other commanders as to a common official direction of the various forces in their combined operations, preserving the integrity of his American division as a separate organization. A copy of this communication will be transmitted to him.
As a considerable time must elapse before Count Waldersee can reach China and conditions are rapidly changing, it would seem desirable to leave questions of method to be determined in view of the conditions which may then exist. The suggestion of His Majesty the German Emperor that one or more military officers of each nationality should he attached to the headquarters of Count Waldersee to maintain communications with the national contingent meets the approval of this Government.