893.51/2884
The American Group to
the Secretary of State
New
York, July 22,
1920.
[Received July
23.]
Sir: In compliance with the request
contained in your letter of July 21st (FE–893.51),64 we, hand you herewith, for
your information and files, exact copies of the letters exchanged on
May 11, 1920, between Mr. Nakaji Kajiwara, in behalf of the Japanese
Banking Group, and Mr. Thomas W. Lamont, in behalf of the American
Group, concerning the withdrawal by Japan of her reservations with
respect to Manchuria and Mongolia and the entry of the Japanese
Banking Group into the New Consortium for China on the same terms as
the American, British and French Groups.
Very truly yours,
J. P. Morgan & Co.
For the American Group
[Enclosure 1]
The Representative of the Japanese
Group (Kajiwara) to the
Representative of the American Group (Lamont)
[Sir:] You will recall that upon the
organization of the consortium at Paris, on May 11 and 12, last,
the representatives of the Japanese, American, British and
French Banking Groups attached their signatures to the
resolutions and Agreement subject to the approval of their
respective Governments. You will further recall that, upon the
instructions of the Japanese Government, our Banking Groups
addressed you a letter dated 18th June last65 as regards the
conditions of accepting the New Consortium agreement.
[Page 556]
We have now the honor to inform you that certain points in the
Agreement and in the operations of the proposed Consortium,
hitherto somewhat obscure, having been cleared up to the
satisfaction of our Government and of ourselves, we are now able
in accordance with the instructions of the Japanese Government
to withdraw our letter dated 18th June last and announce that,
conjointly with the American, British and French Banking Groups
and on like terms with them, we will accept the Consortium
agreement. We beg at the same time to express our hearty
concurrence with the general ideas and objects of the Consortium
in respect to China.
Very truly yours,
Nakaji
Kajiwara
The President
of the Yokohama Specie Bank For and on behalf of the
Japanese Group
[Enclosure 2]
The Representative of the American
Group (Lamont) to the
Representative of the Japanese Group (Kajiwara)
Dear Sir: We beg to acknowledge with
thanks, the receipt of your communication of May 11th, 1920,
informing us, in behalf of the Japanese banking group that,
under the instructions of your Government, you have now
withdrawn your letter dated June 18th, 1919, and have adopted,
in association with the banking groups of America, Great Britain
and France and on like terms with them, the agreement for the
establishment of a new consortium in respect to China.
We are happy to note that certain points that had hitherto been
somewhat obscure to your group and to your Government have now
been made plain, and we trust with you that the way is clear for
the consortium to undertake operations.
Inasmuch as some questions have arisen during our discussions as
to the status of specific railway enterprises contemplated or
actually begun in Manchuria and Mongolia, we hereby confirm that
we have agreed with you as follows:
- (1)
- That the South Manchurian Railway and its present
branches, together with the mines which are subsidiary
to the railway, do not come within the scope of the
consortium;
- (2)
- That the projected Taonanfu-Jehol Railway, and the
projected railway connecting a point on the
Taonanfu-Jehol Railway with a seaport are to be included
within the terms of the consortium agreement;
- (3)
- That the Kirin-Hueining, the Chengchiatun-Taonanfu,
the Changchun-Taonanfu, the Kaiyuan-Kirin (via Hailung),
the Kirin-Changchun,
[Page 557]
the Sinminfu-Moukden and the
Ssupingkai-Chengchiatun Railways are outside the scope
of the joint activities of the consortium.
The foregoing letter of acknowledgement, although written in
behalf of the American banking group, has, Ave are assured, the
cordial approval of the British and French banking groups, also
of the Governments of the United States, of Great Britain and of
France.
Pray be good enough to present our regards to your colleagues in
the Japanese banking group and our best wishes for the success
of the joint Four-power undertaking.
Very truly yours,
Thomas W.
Lamont
For and in behalf
of the American Group
