893.51/3955: Telegram

The Minister in China (Schurman) to the Acting Secretary of State

353. My 165, April 23 [25], 5 [3] p.m.71 Lee72 has ascertained from official Ministry of Finance that all of the bonds of the 96,000,000 issue [Page 808] are now on the market or in the hands of Japanese and Chinese banks to whom issued. Distribution has been as follows: 40,000,000 to Japanese banks, 10,000,000 for administrative expenses mainly salaries in arrears, and 46,000,000 to Chinese Banks. Of $4,000,000 interest due on the first coupon of this issue on July 31st only 600,-000 was paid out of salt surplus releases. Bonds now selling around $30 for $100 bonds. Full report by mail.73

Schurman
  1. Not printed; see telegrams no. 4, Jan. 3, and no. 45, Feb. 10, from the Minister in China, pp. 761 and 763, respectively.↩
  2. Dr. Frederic E. Lee, consul on special detail to American Legation at Peking.↩
  3. Not printed.↩