893.05/233: Telegram

The Chargé in China ( Perkins ) to the Secretary of State

36. Legation’s 25, January 8, 4 p.m.

1. Interested Heads of Legation met yesterday to consider telegram of the British Minister at Nanking when, after summing up views of the Chairman of the Council, as reported in my 21, January 6, noon [11 a.m.],84 stated:

“The foreign delegates have now unanimously agreed amongst themselves to offer a settlement along the lines of giving up the observer (who was in any case to be reduced to a mere figurehead for the registration of protests) in return for satisfactory arrangements in regard to procurators and for foreign control of the judicial police which demands legal representation for the Council in all cases in which they consider the interests of the Settlement to be involved. This means that the function of watchdogs would be equally distributed: (a) By foreign officer through whom all court processes would be issued; (b) by the Council’s legal representative in the court.”

2. Joint instructions were accordingly sent the foreign delegates giving them full discretion to effect a settlement along the lines above [Page 318] indicated. The interested Heads of Legation have now taken the exact position which I stated that it was my intention to support as provided in the second paragraph of my 21, January 6, noon [11 a.m.].

3. The Department’s 9, January 9, 1 p.m., has just been received and will be given immediate consideration.

Perkins