File No. 893.51/947.
Paraphrase of telegram received by the Chinese Legation and handed to the Secretary of State June 16.
The President handed down a letter from the American Minister in which the Minister, under instructions from his Government, advised this Government to postpone action on the matter of the advance of the 21,140,000 taels which this Government had requested the financial group to pay over this month, until June 18, when the representatives of the group, at a meeting to be held in Paris, would decide whether or not to make the advance.
It is the custom of our people, adhered to with great strictness, to settle all accounts before our national festival days. The 19th of June is our national festival day and a large sum will be required to pay the troops and meet other expenses in arrears. The disorder in Shantung was due solely to arrears in payment to troops, and the condition here is perilous. But the group still persists in refusing to make any payment before the 19th—the festival day—thus rendering it well-nigh impossible for this Government to maintain order throughout the country.
In view of these facts the American Secretary of State is earnestly requested to use his good offices and cable the representatives of the financial group at Peking urging them to make an advance of 6,000,000 taels in accordance with the previous cablegram, thereby avoiding the necessity for this Government to turn to other sources for relief. As to the balance of 15,000,000 taels a slight delay would cause no serious inconvenience. The situation is most critical.
Seal of the Board of Finance.
Peking, June 15, 1912.