861.77/1577: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Bell) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 23—5:45 a.m.]
312. Your 232, June 19. … The Ambassador also informs me that, acting on instructions from his Government, he has conversed with the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs regarding the four points contained in your telegram no. 211 of June 2.55 Uchida agreed with points 1 and 2 but indicated that he did not like the idea of having the consortium connected with the Chinese Eastern Railway and said that the Cabinet must consider this matter. The British Ambassador is to confer with the Minister of Foreign Affairs again tonight and states his opinion that rather than cause irritation by confronting the Japanese with an accomplished fact, it would be advisable to talk things over fully with them in advance. My British colleague was apparently surprised that no instructions had been given to me to act in a like manner.
[Page 697]Has our Government taken this question up with China yet? The British Minister to China is to be in Tokyo within a week en route to England for a vacation.