File No. 341.622a/278
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9.30 p. m.]
5389. Your 4213, 26th. Mr. Balfour, who has been indisposed, came to the Foreign Office for the first time on the 27th instant and was accessible for the first time to-day, when I presented your mail instruction No. 4520, which reached me December 10. The change of government rendered it impossible for me to make this communication earlier, since I wished to follow your instructions exactly in making it in person to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
I explained my instructions to read it textually to him and was about to do so when he asked me to explain its contents and permit him to read it himself, which he promised to do with care. At the same time I presented the memorandum enclosed with your un-numbered mail instruction of November 23 on the China case.2 Mr. Balfour after my full explanation of the longer memorandum, remarked that it was subject of much possible controversy but that [Page 679] he would consider the memorandum with great care and all possible promptness. His manner was cordial but he gave no indication of what his answer would be.