File No. 8103.
The Acting Secretary of State to Minister Rockhill.
Washington, August 28, 1907.
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 663, of the 9th ultimo, concerning the recent agreement between Japan and China, extending the Japanese concession at Hankow.
You quote Article VIII of this agreement, which is on file in your legation, as the only stipulation affecting American interests. You also inclose a copy of a letter to you from the American consul at Hankau in which he incloses a copy of a letter to him from the Japanese consul at Hankow, in which the American consul is requested to notify the Americans of American protégés who may possess [Page 226] land on the said concession extension to produce their title deeds at the Japanese consulate for examination and registration before or on the 16th instant, and thereby to agree to their property being included in the Japanese concession extension.
Your reply to the American consul advises him that he should inform the Japanese consul that the notification will be given, but that the United States reserves full extraterritorial rights over Americans and American-owned property situated in the extension.
The department approves your action in the matter.
I am, etc.,