893.00 Nanking/206
The Department of State to the British Embassy
Aide-Memoire
The Secretary of State refers to his conversation with Mr. Chilton on July 25 and to the Aide-Memoire left by Mr. Chilton in which reference is made to conversations which have lately been taking place at Peking between the British and American Ministers concerning a basis for a settlement of the Nanking question. The Secretary of State has been kept advised by telegraph of the general trend of the negotiations regarding the Nanking incident which have taken place between the British Minister to China and the Nanking authorities, as well as between the American Minister and the same authorities, and he is disposed to agree that no settlement of the matter should be made until full opportunity has been had for discussion of the terms of such settlement among the representatives of the interested Powers. The American Minister has been instructed to keep in touch with his colleagues with this end in view. The Secretary of State is of the opinion that after a complete discussion each government should reserve to itself complete liberty of action should it find it impossible to agree with the other interested governments on the terms of settlement. The Secretary of State believes that the governments are substantially in harmony as to this matter and hopes that they will arrive at a conclusion with regard to the terms of settlement which will prove acceptable to all. The American Minister will be instructed to discuss the matter fully with the British Minister in Peking and will continue to act on these lines.