File No. 861.00/2502
The Chargé in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 15, 3.17 p.m.]
I was last night advised in behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs that on the 11th instant the Japanese Minister announced to a representative of the Premier, whom he had asked to call upon [Page 349] him, that the Japanese Government proposed immediately to send 5,000 troops to Manchouli in view of the exigency recognized by the Chinese Government’s note of July 27 and that he inquired whether China was prepared to cooperate and if so with how many troops. Later that day the Premier sent word that China would dispatch a force of 10,000 men, but would require some days to prepare them; to this it was answered that the Japanese forces must start without waiting for the Chinese.
The Chinese have thus far received no intimation whether or not the expedition to Manchouli proposed by Japan contemplates action beyond Chinese territory.
The Chinese absolutely deny that Maximalist or enemy forces have bombarded Manchouli or otherwise made military encroachment on Chinese territory.
The small Chinese contingent for Vladivostok was ready to leave from here on the 10th instant, but has been delayed by the impossibility of effecting arrangements for transportation by the South Manchuria Railway, which is reported to be waiting for necessary instructions from the Japanese General Staff. All movements of Chinese troops over the railway northward from Mukden are meanwhile postponed until Japanese have taken action.