The Secretary of State to the Russian Ambassador.

No. 253.]

Excellency: In accordance with your excellency’s request, I have communicated to our minister in China the complaint of the Russian Government in regard to the various incidents which it considers as a violation of neutrality on the part of the Government of China, and have instructed him to make known to the foreign office in Peking the earnest hope of the President that China will scrupulously observe her neutral obligations, any departure from which would seriously embarrass not only China, but also the powers interested in limiting the area of hostilities.

I willingly took advantage of this occasion, as I have of similar occasions in the past, to make proof of the frank and loyal friendship which has always existed between our two nations. But I feel that I ought, with the same frankness, to call your excellency’s attention to the fact that the Chinese Government declare with great earnestness that they have constantly observed that strict neutrality in the present war which is imposed upon them not only by their solemn engagements, but also by the very necessity of their independent existence, and that the Government of Japan insist that they have kept and intend to keep inviolate the pledges they made at the beginning of the war to respect the neutrality of China within the limits then agreed upon.

The President directs me to express to your excellency his earnest hope and confidence that there may not be, on the part of either belligerent, nor of a neutral power, any breach of the neutrality which the whole civilized world has agreed to respect, the violation of which could only be disastrous to all the powers concerned.

I am, etc.,

John Hay.