Ambassador Reid to
the Secretary of State.
American Embassy,
London, December 30,
1909.
No. 1122.]
Sir: With reference to the department’s cable
of the 14th instant containing a memorandum to be presented to the
foreign office in regard to the commercial neutralization of the
Manchurian railways, I have the honor to inclose herewith a note from
the foreign office, dated the 29th instant, in reply to the memorandum.
The substance of this note was cabled to the department yesterday in my
No. 534.
I have, etc.,
[Page 242]
[Inclosure.]
The Minister of Foreign
Affairs to Ambassador Reid.
Foreign Office,
London, December 29,
1909.
Your Excellency: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note of the 17th
instant, stating that in the opinion of the United States Government
no time should be lost in placing their proposals relating to the
commercial neutralization of the Manchurian railways before the
governments of the other interested powers with a view to obtaining
their support to the principle involved. Your excellency goes on to
say that the United States representatives at Peking, Tokyo, St.
Petersburg, Paris, and Berlin would be instructed forthwith in this
sense, and that the United States Government are now prepared, as a
preliminary step, to join with His Majesty’s Government in urging
China to consent to participation in the Chinchow-Aigun Railway by
Japan and the other powers interested. I have the honor to inform
your excellency in reply that His Majesty’s Government would be glad
to learn what views the governments of the other powers concerned,
and more especially Russia and Japan, take in regard to the above
proposals. Instructions have been given to His Majesty’s minister at
Peking authorizing him to join with his United States colleague in
endeavoring to persuade the Chinese Government to agree to Japanese
participation in the Chinchow-Aigun Railway, and I have the honor to
add for your excellency’s information that I have already approached
the Japanese ambassador in London with a view to ascertaining what
measure of participation would satisfy the Japanese Government in
regard to this undertaking.
I have, etc. (for the Secretary of State),
