File No. 893.77/1524
No. 419
Department of State,
Washington,
April 6, 1916.
[Inclosure]
The American Group to
the Secretary of State
New York,
March 31, 1916.
Sir: We presume it is unnecessary to
remind you—in connection with the current reports in the public
press that the Chinese Government has signed an agreement permitting
Russia to construct a railroad in Manchuria from Harbin to Aigun,
with a branch to Tsitsihar—that in October 1909 there was signed a
preliminary agreement between the Viceroy of Manchuria and the
Governor of Fengtien on behalf of the Manchurian Administration, and
the American Group, for the construction of a railroad from Chinchow
to Aigun through Tsitsihar.14 This agreement
was ratified by edict of the Imperial Chinese Government on January
20, 1910,15 and the
American Legation at Peking was formally notified of the fact16 and was
informed that the Viceroy of Manchuria had been instructed to
negotiate a detailed agreement with the representative in China of
the American Group.17 On April 26,
1910, the Viceroy of Manchuria and the Governor of Fengtien
transmitted to the then agent in China of the American Group the
English and Chinese text of a loan agreement of the Chinchow-Aigun
Railway, stating that such agreement constituted “the final draft
entered into and definitely fixed between the Viceroy of Manchuria
and the Governor of Fengtien on the one part, and the American Group
on the other part”, and that “as soon as ever we, the Viceroy of
Manchuria and the Governor of Fengtien, shall have memorialized the
Throne and obtained the Imperial assent thereto, the signatures
shall thereupon be fixed and the agreement be made operative”.
While the American Group desire expressly to state that they have no
wish to press at this time for final ratification of the loan
agreement above referred to, yet they deem it proper to inform the
State Department, as a matter of record, that they have never
formally relinquished such rights as they may have under the
arrangements with the Chinese Government as detailed above. On the
contrary, they have stated to the Chinese Government from time to
time that they consider all their rights under the foregoing
arrangements to be reserved and continued.
We have no intention by this letter to suggest action to the
Department of State, but simply write to inform you of our position,
which is, of course, a matter of record in the Department but which
you may be glad to have restated thus.
Respectfully,
The American Group,
By J. P. Morgan & Co.
