[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]O
CHINA RAILWAYS,
CONFIDENTIAL
[2034]
No. 1.
176
3502
REC
[January 2113 FEB 10;
SECTION 2.
Sir Edward Grey to Sir C. MacDonald.
(No. 12. Confidential.) Sir,
Foreign Office, January 21, 1910. THE Japanese Ambassador called at the Foreign Office on the 14th instant, and stated that his Government had been informed that the United States Government proposal for the neutralisation of railways in Manchuria had been instigated by the Chinese Government with a view to emancipating themselves to some extent from Russian and Japanese influence. His Excellency said that the information had been given to Mr. Ijuin, the Japanese Minister at Tokyo, by one Li, who had been Chinese Minister at Brussels, and that so far as Mr. Ijuin had been able to obtain confirmation of the report he had done so.
Mr. Kato was informed that His Majesty's Government had no previous infor- mation to this effect, though they had no reason to suppose that it was without foundation.
I am,
&c. E. GREY.
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