2
British, German, and French groups are to revert to the position they occupied under the agreements of the 6th July, 1909.
Before proceeding to ratify the action of their delegates in signing the above agreements, the British group will be glad to know if they have the approval of His Majesty's Government.
I am, &c.
C. S. ADDIS.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
36747
[November 15.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
SECTION 1.
REC
Res 1 DEC 10
[41610]
No. 1.
Director of Military Operations to Foreign Office.--(Received November 15.) (Confidential.)
THE Director of Military Operations presents his compliments to the Under- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and begs to forward for his information a copy of a letter from the military attaché, Peking, regarding the employment of German instructors for the Chinese army.
War Office, November 14, 1910.
(Confidential.) A.D.M.O. 3,
Enclosure in No. 1.
Note by Lieutenant-Colonel Willoughby.
1 HAVE made enquiries in many quarters, and am credibly informed that no German officers have recently been engaged as instructors to the Chinese army.
His Excellency Yin Chang, late Minister to Germany and now Minister of War here, who is married to a German wife, and whose pro-German leanings are well known, before leaving Berlin to take up his new post, in an after-dinner speech expressed his intention of endeavouring to arrange that German officers should be Since his return the matter has been much considered and engaged as instructors. discussed, but the outcome of the discussion, I am told, is that it has been decided One of my informants, who is in close touch with not to employ German officers. Chinese officialdom, further tells me that the German Legation here is pressing the matter strongly, and it is possible that the Chinese Government may yield to this pressure. I will not fail to inform you should I hear of any such appointments being made.
I may add that the general Chinese tendency, nowadays, is to dispense as much as possible with foreign tutelage; and though there are still a number of foreigners in the military schools, arsenale, &c., in instructional and supervisory appointments, the number is being steadily diminished as contracts expire.
M. E. WILLOUGHBY, Lieutenant-Colonel, Military Attaché, Peking.
Peking, October 21, 1910.
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