701.6193/orig.: Telegram
The Minister in China (Crane) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 10—2:06 p.m.]
253. Russian Minister having been deprived by the Chinese Government of the right to communicate by cipher inquired for the reason therefor and was informed September 8th by the Minister of Foreign Affairs that the Chinese Government considers that the Russian Legation in Peking and the Russian consuls in China have lost their status. The Chinese Government expect therefore that these institutions be closed forthwith at the initiative of Prince Kudashev.9 In view of the above, Russian Legation and consulates [Page 762] will be closed shortly. This means that practically exterritoriality for Russians in China will have ceased to exist. This is the first tangible victory in China of the Bolshevik emissaries who have been arriving in Peking of late from different parts of Russia. It is requested that the above be communicated to the Russian Ambassador.
- Russian Imperial Minister to China.↩