701/0093 D 34 259
The Netherlands Minister in China (Oudendijk), Senior Minister, to the American Minister
(MacMurray)23
Peking, September 15,
1925.
Circular No. 259Subject:—Commission of enquiry concerning incidents of
May 30th, in Shanghai
The Senior Minister has the honour to inform his Honourable Colleagues
that he received from the Senior Consul in Shanghai the following
telegram:24
“In reply to Your Excellency’s telegram of the 11th instant, the
Municipal Council confirms its agreement to conform to the
conclusions of the judicial commission and to suspend the
Commissioner of Police before the first meeting of the
commission.”
Consequently the Senior Minister has today forwarded the letter to the
Wai Chiao Pu by which he hands the Minister for Foreign Affairs a
certified copy of the terms of reference for the Commission of
Enquiry.25
A copy of this letter is attached to this Circular.
Certified copies (one for each Legation) and the usual number spare
copies of the terms of reference together with copies of the Senior
Minister’s letter will be sent today to the various Legations
directly.
[Enclosure]
The Netherlands Minister in China
(Oudendijk), Senior Minister,
to the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Shen)
Peking, September 15,
1925.
Decanat No. 49Monsieur le Ministre: As Your Excellency is
aware the Foreign Governments interested have come to the decision
that the circumstances of the unfortunate incidents in Shanghai of
May 30th. should be definitely cleared up by a public judicial
enquiry.
They have therefore authorized their Representatives in Peking to
request their American, British, and Japanese Colleagues each to
designate a Jurist to be a member of a Commission of Enquiry.
I am now desired by my Colleagues to inform Your Excellency that the
Heads of Mission concerned have taken this step, and seize this
opportunity to hand Your Excellency herewith a certified copy of the
terms of reference for the above mentioned Commission at the
[Page 708]
foot of which the
designations of its members are inscribed. The Commission will meet
as soon as its members can reach Shanghai.
As it is in the interest of all concerned that the findings of this
Commission be as full and complete as possible, our respective
Governments think it highly desirable that a Chinese Jurist should
also be one of its members, and for that purpose I have the honour
in the name of the Heads of Mission concerned to express the hope
that Your Excellency’s Government may see fit to appoint a Chinese
Jurist to sit on the Commission.
In conclusion I have to add that the Municipal Council of the
International Settlement of Shanghai have bound themselves to abide
by the findings of the Commission and that the Chief of Police of
the said Settlement Mr. McEuen will be suspended, without prejudice,
until the completion of the enquiry.
Whilst expressing the hope that Your Excellency’s Government see
their way to appoint a member of the Commission of Enquiry and in
any case in the interest of justice and to facilitate the work of
this Commission as far as possible to expedite the fulfilment of its
task, I avail myself [etc.]
