793.003/116
The Minister in the Netherlands (Tobin) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 24.]
Sir: With reference to my despatches Nos. 1901, of March [May] 22, and 1909, of March [May] 28, 1929,69 I have the honor to report that the Dutch Government’s reply to the recent Chinese Note on extraterritoriality has been sent to Peking but has not yet been handed to the Chinese Government. The Note states, in conciliatory terms, that Holland cannot accept the Chinese demand for immediate abrogation of these rights because a reasonable protection of Dutch interests is still deemed necessary.
The Dutch reply contains no concrete proposal but it points out that while the Netherland Government is not opposed to the eventual satisfaction of the Chinese aspirations, it is not prepared to grant all at once and that it continues to subscribe to the findings of the Extraterritoriality Commission that the abandonment of such rights should be gradual.
Judging from the pertinent portions of the Note which were read its tone, though friendly, is firm. It tends to confirm the Legation’s impression that the Foreign Office is not quite as sympathetic to China’s appeal as was the case last year.
I have [etc.]
- Neither printed.↩