893.51/2705: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Davis) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 8:20 p.m.]
434. Your 227, March 6, 6 p.m., fully discussed with Foreign Office on 10th instant, a memorandum being left embracing first portion thereof inclusive of list of concessions and options specified by Japanese Government. Aide memoire setting forth the Department’s disposition as outlined in the succeeding paragraph of Department’s telegram was left to confirm the conversation.
Neither formula nor list have yet been received by Foreign Office from Japanese Ambassador here or from Tokyo and communication with the latter has been interrupted by break in cable. Comparison requested in Department’s 243, March 9, 5 p.m.68 will be made upon its receipt.
Although definite expression of Foreign Office opinion, which I am promised very shortly, awaits study of this formula, I find its informal opinion to run quite parallel to ours inasmuch as Japanese Ambassador was informed some time ago that while railroad concessions [Page 508] in southern Manchuria to the south and east of the South Manchurian Railway could reasonably be considered to fall within the sphere of Japan’s special interest, those to the west and southwest which approximate in their indefiniteness the former Japanese interpretation of Eastern Inner Mongolia could hardly be considered in the same light. I infer that the Department’s contention that such explicit guarantee would impugn the good faith of the Associated Powers meets with approval.
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What telegram is referred to in your circular of February 28, 1 p.m.69 by references to a telegram of October 5 [15], 5 p.m. through Peking?70 We appear to have no record of it. Paris informed.
- Not printed.↩
- See footnote 53, p. 497.↩
- Answered: “Telegram in question was 6073, Oct. 11, 1 p.m.” See Foreign Relations, 1919, vol. i, p. 493.↩