File No. 893.811/157.

Chargé MacMurray to the Secretary of State.

No. 386.]

Sir: Referring to previous correspondence on the subject of the Huai River Conservancy, I have the honor to report that Colonel William L. Sibert and the other members of the Board of Engineers, accompanied by the Adviser, Mr. C. D. Jameson, arrived in Peking on September 5th and remained here for one week. During that time they had several meetings with the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, Mr. Chang Chien, and were also presented to President Yuan Shih-k’ai. Both to the President and, more fully, to Mr. Chang Chien they explained their plans for the conservancy work; and pointed out that, by the projected drainage of the lakes along the present course of the Huai River their plans would reclaim such an amount of agricultural land as would virtually pay for the cost of the whole undertaking.

It is with much satisfaction that I am able to report that Colonel Sibert and his colleagues obviously made an exceptionally good impression upon both Mr. Chang Chien and the President. At their first meeting, there was evident on the part of the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce a certain feeling of distrust, if not actually of prejudice, and he was extremely cautious about committing himself in any way to approval of their plans; in subsequent meetings, however, his attitude completely changed, and although there remained certain points in regard to which he seemed to question the feasibility of their plans he showed himself in general extremely well disposed and indicated his complete confidence in the board. He has subsequently taken occasion to say to me, in the course of a conversation on other subjects, that he felt that the carrying through of the plans [Page 111] for the Huai conservancy would enable those friendly to American activity in China to answer the reproach that Americans have never brought to accomplishment any considerable project here.

In view of the fact that the Board of Engineers is now preparing its full report to the American National Red Cross, it is unnecessary for the Legation to attempt to outline their plans for the conservancy work.

I have [etc.]

J. V. A. MacMurray
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