File No. 893.77/1560
The Secretary of State to Minister Reinsch
Washington, November 2, 1916.
Your telegram of October 26. If protest mentioned in your October 19 has been filed, inform Foreign Office that this Government cannot recognize Russian claim to exclusive sphere in district concerned, which appears not embraced in region referred to in Chinese note of June 1, 1899. Point out that protest appears out of harmony with Russian suggestion in 1910 to United States to join in building Kalgan-Urga railway, and seems not in accord with assurance of Russian Government to American Ambassador at Petrograd on August 23, 1916,21 that it is the definite Russian policy to maintain unimpaired the principle of equal opportunity for the commerce of all nations in China.
Corporation replies to Department that validity of Russian objection must be settled between China and Russia before Corporation prepared to proceed further with regard to this line.