Office of the Historian

893.51/3060: Telegram

The Ambassador in Great Britain (Davis) to the Secretary of State

London, November 15, 1920—8 p.m.
[Received November 16—5:52 a.m.]

1615. British Government informally states that if all other Governments agree regarding public announcement of consortium agreement it will likewise concur, but meanwhile makes following observations on general question.

1.
Official notification of resolutions have now been received from British group which will forthwith be approved specifically save [Page 596] as to resolution 16, on which point however it is not desired to delay matters. It is considered sufficient if Chinese Government choose of its own free will to act as suggested in the resolution.
2.
Belgian Ambassador will be notified of approval of the entry of a Belgian group, his attention being called however to reported conclusion of Belgian Dutch loan agreement for sixty million francs to the Chinese Government and the bearing this has on resolution 17.
3.
Communication to the Chinese Government of the approval of the consortium before the public announcement would appear to be the most logical procedure. The gist of the resolutions have been telegraphed to British Chargé d’Affaires Peking who is instructed to collaborate with American Minister.

I have just received from Embassy Paris and British Foreign Office news of French concurrence regarding publication on 20th instant.

Davis