File No. 893.51/1296.

The American Chargé d’Affaires at London to the Secretary of State.

No. 2203.]

Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith a copy of a Foreign Office memorandum which, after reciting the decisions arrived at by the bankers conference, states that His Majesty’s Government fully approve them and would be glad to learn whether the Government of the United States is willing to come to an agreement with the British Government embodying the proposed conditions to govern future industrial loans made by the nationals of the two countries with the Chinese Government.

Laughlin.
[Inclosure—Memorandum.]

The British Foreign Office to the American Embassy.

As the United States Government are doubtless aware, the conference of the six-power group formed to negotiate the Chinese reorganisation loan agreed, at its meetings of the 10th and 11th instant, subject to the approval of the French syndicate: (a) that the restrictions in Article 2 of the sextuple agreement shall I no longer apply to industrial and railway loans, which shall be open to free competition subject to such conditions as the Governments of the six powders may jointly approve for loans by their nationals; (b) that the British group should approach their Government with a request that proposals be made to the other Governments concerned as to the conditions to be jointly imposed upon their nationals in competing for industrial loans on the following lines:

(I)
The six Governments shall agree not to support their nationals in any undertaking not conforming to conditions to be agreed on;
(II)
For the protection of investors, the conditions should provide proper guaranties for the payment of principal and interest;
(III)
Control over expenditure of the proceeds of the loan in order to prevent the Chinese Government receiving, either by deposit or otherwise, money free from control;
(IV)
The concession to be subject to the approval of the Legation concerned, and approval to be withheld unless the conditions are fulfilled;
(V)
Detailed conditions to be drafted by the Legations at Peking in communication with the representatives of the groups there.

His Majesty’s Government fully approve the above decisions arrived at by the conference, and would be glad to learn whether the United States Government are willing to come to an agreement with them embodying the proposed conditions to govern future industrial loans made by their nationals with the Chinese Government.