031.11 American Museum of Natural History (4th Asiatic)/61: Telegram
The Minister in China ( MacMurray ) to the Secretary of State
596. In further reference to your telegram No. 219, June 28, 6 p.m.
- 1.
- I took Andrews, July 11th, to discuss with Minister for Foreign Affairs, then in Peking, what appeared to be the sole outstanding [Page 851] issue, namely, the demand for a Chinese co-director of the expedition. Wang assured us he had prevailed upon the cultural society to waive its insistence upon appointing co-director so that it would only be necessary for Andrews to make [apparent omission] with that society final arrangements for the starting out of the expedition.
- 2.
- On consulting the society, Andrews found they insisted upon his acceding to their demand that all this year’s finds should be subject to such division as they might see fit to make here without permitting the collection to be sent to America for study. This would wholly defeat in advance the museum’s purpose in consenting to abide by Nanking legislation in the matter as Pettit [Doctor?] Osborn had offered to do in reliance upon Minister Wu’s assurance that such legislation would enable the finds to be divided after thorough scientific study. Andrews meanwhile learned that Wang had made known his support of the society in this matter. He therefore declined, in accordance with instructions of the museum, to accede to this demand which would have made the division of those finds subject to haphazard disposition by a group which is definitely hostile.
- 3.
- While regretting the necessity of his abandoning further plans of exploration in territory under Chinese control, I have made it clear that there was no other course open to him; and I concur in his report [to] museum that “We cannot see hope for future unless there is complete change in attitude of Government, which unhappily there is no reason to expect.”
MacMurray
- Telegram in two sections.↩