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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
345
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
5654
[December 20.RECO
Rra 24 FEB 10
SECTION 3.
[46243]
No. 1.
Sir C. MacDonald to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received December 20.)
(No. 74. Very Confidential.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Tokyo, December 20, 1909. WITH reference to telegram No. 198 of the 18th December from His Majesty's Minister at Peking, I have just been informed by Count Komura that this afternoon a proposal was submitted to his Excellency on behalf of the United States Govern- ment by the American Ambassador for the internationalisation of all railways already constructed, or which may in future be constructed, in Manchuria.
I was informed by his Excellency that he had not had time to make a careful study of the proposal, but he said he would at once let me know as soon as the Cabinet had arrived at a decision.
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"They are asking us to internationalise," his Excellency added, "what is our own property, acquired by us at the cost of much treasure and many lives."
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