File No. 893.00/2375
Minister Reinsch to the Secretary of State
Peking , March 9, 1916 .
Sir: In continuation of my despatch No. 947 of February 23 last, I have the honor to enclose herewith copies of despatches from various consular offices, reporting on political conditions in their respective districts.1 I have the honor also to enclose five newspaper cuttings dealing with the political situation, which appeared in the Peking Gazette of February 25 and March 72
It is officially reported that the Government troops have scored successes in Szechuan, having retaken Suifu and Nachi. The situation in Kikiang is still uncertain.
The greatest uncertainty prevails with respect to the province of Hunan. Throughout this province the revolutionaries have many sympathizers, and since the invasion of the southwestern part of the province by troops from Yunnan and Kweichow there has been fear that the entire province might go over to the revolutionaries. The American Consul at Changsha advised the missionaries to withdraw from the interior to towns nearer the Yangtze. He now reports that the missionaries in Shenchow and Paoching prefer to remain because the local situation in those places is quiet. A success of the Government troops near Yuanchow was reported yesterday. Should Hunan eventually side with the revolutionaries, such action would undoubtedly give the signal for a general movement throughout the Yangtze Valley. Should, however, the successes of the Government troops result in pressing back the Yunnanese into the provinces of Yunnan and Kweichow, the Central Government could then offer its conditions of peace without fear of having such advances interpreted as a sign of weakness.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩