File No. 763.72/9615
The French Ambassador ( Jusserand ) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 18.]
Mr. Secretary of State: Referring to my previous correspondence with the Department of State on the subject and, in particular, to my note of January 11 last,1 I have the honor to inform Your Excellency [Page 645] that the inquiries conducted between the French Staff and the office of the Under Secretary of State for Ocean Transportation have led to the conclusion that notwithstanding the Government of the Republic’s earnest desire to act upon Marshal Tuan’s proposal to send Chinese troops to France it was physically impossible to procure the tonnage required for their transportation.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic has therefore advised the Chargé d’Affaires of France at Peking that the plan must necessarily be given up.
Under these conditions my Government no longer sees any advantage in advancing to the Chinese Government funds intended to recruit and equip the said troops.
Be pleased to accept [etc.]
- Not printed.↩