Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1923, Volume I

393.1123 Lincheng/264

The Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Wellington Koo) to the Deen of the Diplomatic Corps at Peking^22a

[Translation]

Peking, October 15, 1923.

M. le Ministre: I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that the Chinese Government have taken under careful study the Note of the Diplomatic Body of October 4th^22b in further reference to the Lincheng incident, and while they regret that the observations and assurances of their Note of September 24th last failed to persuade the Diplomatic Body to modify its position, they are nevertheless disposed, in deference to its wishes, to give further consideration to its Note of August 10th last.

As regards the matter of “Damages”, Your Excellency will recall that in their Note of September 24th the Chinese Government have declared their intention to do in the fullest measure possible what would be equitable in the way of reparation for the foreign victims of the Lincheng incident, and announced their readiness to accept as the basis of classification and assessment the three categories of damages enumerated in the Note of August 10th from the Diplomatic Body. There remains the question of the “supplementary indemnities” for individual cases. In the furtherance of that intention I have the honour to state that the Chinese Government are prepared to agree in principle to the inclusion of the damages specified in the said category as an additional basis of appraisement, reserving for later discussion the nature of these damages and the reasonableness of the amounts.

Of the four Chinese officials named under the heading of “Sanctions” in the Diplomatic Body’s Note of August 10th last, I stated in my reply of September 24th that three had been dismissed from their duties and the fourth was already under consideration for punishment in conformity with Chinese law. I now have the honour to inform Your Excellency that the Ministry of War which has been entrusted with the duty of considering the punishment for the Military Governor of Shantung Tien Chung-Yu has submitted its report and acting thereupon the Chinese Government have by a Presidential Mandate of October 14th relieved the said Military Governor of his post.²³

The Chinese Government have been fully conscious of the necessity of repressing brigandage in certain inland parts of the country, which is the more deplorable because its depredations extend to the peaceful nationals of the foreign Powers. It brought about the Lincheng incident and has given rise to the two recent cases in Hupeh and Honan to which reference was made in the Diplomatic Body’s Note of October 4th. With a view to its elimination, the Chinese Government had, as was stated in my Note of September 24th, adopted measures to pursue the bandits, and since the receipt of the Diplomatic Body’s Note under reply they have despatched renewed orders to the Provincial authorities to redouble their efforts in the prosecution of this essential duty on their part. As regards the reforms to be effected in the system of policing and protection on the principal railways I stated in my last Note that “the Chinese Government look upon the whole matter of railway policing and protection as an urgent problem of China’s internal administration, of which they are fully conscious of their responsibility for a practical solution”. I wish again to assure Your Excellency, however, that while the Chinese Government cannot commit themselves to the scheme or schemes which the Diplomatic Body intends to present, they fully appreciate the interest which it takes in this problem and its readiness to collaborate.

The Chinese Government sincerely believe that a vigorous and sustained campaign against brigandage, together with the new measures for the protection of the principal railways, will result in a decided improvement in the situation as regards the safety of travel and residence in the interior of China.

I avail myself [etc.]

V. K. Wellington Koo

1. Transmitted to the Department by the Minister in China as an enclosure to his despatch no. 1889, Oct. 23, 1923.
2. See telegram no. 331, Oct 5, from the Minister in China, p. 704.
23. In Oct. 1923 the President accepted Tien Chung-yu’s “resignation,” and simultaneously conferred upon him the honor of elevation to the Chiangchun Fu, or College of Marshals.