Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Address of the President to Congress December 5, 1916

File No. 893.77/1564

Minister Reinsch to the Secretary of State

[Telegram—Extract]

American Legation,
Peking, November 10, 1916.

In compliance with your instructions November 2, I have informed the Chinese Government of the position of the American Government in the matter.

In conversation with Russian Minister I emphasized the point that American rights could not be defeated by an enlarged interpretation of the specific promises of 1899. In the course of the conversation Russian Minister said that Russia had protested only to the Chinese Government, not to the American Government, hinting that should the Chinese Government decline to accede to the Russian contention some other advantages might be demanded and thus plainly intimating that the Russian protest was a caveat rather than a prohibition. The force of the offer of 1910 seemed to be admitted. Russian Minister also inquired whether American surveyors have already started out.

From the above it would seem that Americans proceeding with this railway would not encounter vigorous opposition on the part of Russia.

Reinsch