!
662
Paraphrase of Telegram from Sir J. Jordan, No.56, dated
March 19th, 1909.
C.0.
10123
Canton Hankow Railway Loan.
REC?
RroP 23 MAR 09
After careful consideration I hesitate for the
following reasons to act as suggested in your telegram
No.48 of the 18th instant.
1. I fear that a formal reminder will have no
effect on the Chinese in forcing them to break with the
Germans or retarding the conclusion of a Final Agree-
ment. Such a step would only have the effect of making
the Germans push on their negotiations.
2. It would be very difficult afterwards to ex-
plain away a written reminder in the terms which the
circumstances require, if Mr. Addis' anticipation that
the negotiations which are being carried on in London
will have a successful issue, comes to be realized.
The Chinese who are anxious that European combina-
tion should not be completed would at once communicate
it to the Germans and it might be used to embarrass the
negotiations in London.
I fear that nothing can be done here except by the
Germans