893.5045/112
The British Chargé (Chilton) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 9.]
Sir: I have the honour to draw your attention to the proposal of the Corps Diplomatique at Peking to communicate to the press and Chinese Government the findings which they have arrived at as a result of their investigations into the circumstances attending the recent anti-foreign riots at Shanghai.
His Majesty’s Government have carefully considered this proposal and in order that their attitude may as far as possible correspond with that of the United States Government, I am instructed to inform you that their views in the matter are as follows:
In the first place, His Majesty’s Government are uncertain whether the decisions of the Corps Diplomatique may not meet with resistance when put into practical execution. In particular, and quite apart from possible doubts as to whether such a decision is legally enforceable, it appears to His Majesty’s Government that an awkward situation would arise were the Municipal Council of Shanghai to refuse to give effect to the finding regarding the dismissal of the police Commissioner at that port. Furthermore, His Britannic Majesty’s Consul General at Shanghai has protested against the findings of the Corps Diplomatique, and it is understood that his attitude enjoys the support of the Consuls General of the United States and Japan.
For the above reasons, His Majesty’s Government have instructed their Representative at Peking to satisfy himself, as a preliminary to any further action, first that the decisions of the Corps Diplomatique will not meet with any effective resistance and secondly that his United States and Japanese colleagues have been officially authorized to make the proposed communication.
As regards the text of the communication itself His Majesty’s Government entirely concur in the substance of the findings arrived at by the Corps Diplomatique. They consider however that the findings are susceptible of alterations in form before their actual publication takes place and should more especially contain modifications calculated to meet the legitimate personal susceptibilities of the Chairman of the Municipal Council of Shanghai and others concerned. Thus the Chinese authorities should be left in no doubt regarding their share of the responsibility for the excesses committed. The fact that the demonstrations were organized on Chinese territory should be dwelt upon at length and with emphasis and placed in the forefront of the document—immediately following this [Page 679] should come a statement that the Chinese Government must take steps forthwith to fix responsibility and to punish the offenders.
Subject to these and to other emendations of a minor nature, His Majesty’s Representative at Peking has been informed that His Majesty’s Government are in agreement with the terms of the proposed communication—provided always that prior to its dispatch, the heads of Missions concerned are fully assured that sufficient evidence is forthcoming to support each finding and that there is no prima facie reason to suppose that the publication of the document will provoke a still more serious situation in Shanghai or elsewhere, particularly by undermining the authority of foreigners occupying positions of grave responsibility in the present crisis.
His Majesty’s Government trust that their views, as set out above, will meet with your concurrence, and I am to express the hope that the United States Government will be disposed to address instructions to their representative at Peking similar to those which have already been sent to His Majesty’s Representative.
I have [etc.]