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Jordan was instructed to stipulate for such assistance.
He was further requested to make it clear that com-
pliance with the Chinese request did not derogate from
the right of His Majesty's Government to insist on the
status quo as regards Tariff and Likin being maintain-
ed, if the co-operation of other Treaty Powers could
not be assured.
Owing to the fall of Yuan-shi-Kai His Majesty's
Minister was unable to make a communication in the
above sense to that statesman, and the situation was
in his opinion too obscure at that time to make it
desirable to open negotiations on so important a sub-
ject with the Wai-wu Pu.
Sir John Jordan intended
however to pursue the matter further as soon as he
considered the moment opportune.
Foreign Office,
April 26th, 1909.