File No. 893.00/2704
Minister Reinsch to the Secretary of State
Peking, August 10, 1917.
Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 1557 of the 3d ultimo, and to previous correspondence on the subject, I have the honor to enclose copies of the despatches4 listed below from the various consulates in China, in regard to the political situation in the provinces.
From these despatches it will be seen that the restoration movement brought about by General Chang Hsun did not receive the support of the provinces. While this was especially true of the southern provinces it was also the case in Hunan and Hupei, the military governor of the latter, General Wang Tsan-yuan, going to the extent of ordering the provincial officials to turn all revenue into the provincial treasury until a Republican Government should be restored in Peking.
The despatches from the consulate at Nanking give an account of President Feng’s attitude during the campaign against General Chang and up to the time of his coming to Peking, while the despatches from Shanghai and Canton deal with the activities of the Kuo Min Tang parliamentarians.
The trouble in Szechuan is daily growing worse and the Peking authorities seem powerless to suppress the anarchy which has prevailed there during the last three or four months.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩