Ambassador O’Brien
to the Secretary of State.
American Embassy,
Tokyo, March 4,
1910.
No. 1069.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a
copy of a letter from Count Komura, minister for foreign affairs, dated
yesterday, the 3d instant, in reply to my note to him of January 25
conveying to him the nature of your telegram of the 20th of January on
the subject of the Manchurian railways. I have indirect information that
the officials of the foreign office believe in the sincerity of your
purpose, and that this reply has been fully considered and contains an
expression of their genuine sentiments.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
The Minister for Foreign
Affairs to Ambassador O’Brien.
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Tokyo, March 3, 1910.
Monsieur l’Ambassadeur: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note of the 25th of
January last, inclosing the paraphrase of a telegram from your
Government in reference to the recent proposal of the United States
on the subject of the neutralization of the Manchurian railways.
Although the answer of the Imperial Government to that proposal had
already been made before the telegram in question was received by
you, I was, nevertheless, gratified to be made acquainted with it,
since it served to confirm the view entertained by the Imperial
Government that the action of the United States in the matter was
prompted by entirely friendly and disinterested motives.
I regret exceedingly that the unjust and inaccurate criticism of a
section of the Japanese press in which the motives of your
excellency’s Government were called in question should have caused
you annoyance. Such criticism was based upon garbled reports which
originated outside of Japan. It had, therefore, the excuse of
ignorance, but it did not, I am happy to be able to assure your
excellency, reflect the sentiments or views of the Government or a
very large majority of the people of this Empire.
I avail myself, etc.,
