File No. 493.11/529.
Chargé MacMurray to
the Secretary of State.
[Extract.]
No. 367.]
American Legation,
Peking,
September 12, 1914.
Sir: Referring to previous correspondence in
regard to the payment of interest by the Chinese Government on claims
arising out of the Revolution of 1911–1912, I have the honor to enclose
herewith copies of diplomatic circulars embodying recent communications
which have passed between the Foreign Office and the Dean of the
Diplomatic Body on this subject.
It will be seen therein that the Chinese Government has finally
acquiesced in the demands of the Diplomatic Body that interest should be
allowed, and has notified it that interest at the rate of 5 per cent
will be paid on liquidated claims, calculated from April 26, 1913, until
the date of actual payment; and that this offer has been accepted.* *
*
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure 1—Summary.]
[Untitled]
Report, dated July 10, of the Dean to the Diplomatic Body that he had
made a verbal demand upon the Wai Chiao Fu for interest on settled
claims at 5% from January 1, 1913; and that the Minister for Foreign
Affairs had refused to consider this request. Request of the Dean
for the Diplomatic Body’s authorization to convey formally its
decision that interest should be so paid.
[Inclosure 2—Summary.]
[Untitled]
Incloses, July 25, a note addressed on July 22 by the Dean to the Wai
Chiao Pu formally conveying the Diplomatic Body’s demand for
interest on all settled claims at 5% from January 1, 1913.
[Page 95]
[Inclosure 3—Extract.]
[Untitled]
Incloses, August 26, the following:
Peking, August
25, 1914
To the Dean of the Diplomatic Body:
Sir: I have the honor to
acknowledge receipt of your excellency’s note of July 22 on
the subject of the payment of interest on Revolution
indemnity claims.
After the Revolution of 1911 the Government, out of
compassion for foreign merchants, set apart a portion of the
loan in order to compensate them for their losses, and
appointed a committee of investigation. All cases of claims
on account of direct losses have since been impartially
considered in conjunction with the foreign commissioners,
and successive payments have been made. The Chinese
Government may be said to have been most generous in its
consideration for foreign merchants. If in addition payment
of interest be demanded, the amounts individually received
by foreign merchants will be small while the burden falling
on the Chinese Government will be very heavy. In view,
however, of the repeated requests made by your excellency in
your capacity as Dean, this Ministry will give consideration
to your views and those of your honorable colleagues and
will, as an exceptional proceeding, admit the payment of 5
per cent interest in addition to the payment of indemnities;
such interest to be calculated from April 26, 1913, being
the date of signature of the Reorganization Loan wherein
China admitted the payment of compensation to foreigners for
losses suffered during the 1911 revolution, until the date
on which such payment was made.
I have [etc.]
Seal of the
Wai Chiao Pu
.
[Inclosure 4—Extract.]
[Untitled]
Incloses, September 9, the following:
British Legation,
Peking, September 9, 1914.
His Excellency Sun Pao-ch’i
Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Sir: With reference to your
excellency’s note of August 25, I have the honour to inform
you that the members of the Diplomatic Body authorize me to
accept the proposal made by your excellency’s Government
that interest should be paid by your Government on
indemnities admitted on revolution claims, such interest to
be at the rate of 5 per cent per annum and to run from 26th
April, 1913, the date of the signature of the Reorganization
Loan, to the date on which payment of the claim was
made.
I avail [etc.]
J. N. Jordan,
Dean of the Diplomatic
Body
.
