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AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[13145]
No. 1.
Rece
[April 10.]
SECTION 2.
Sir G. Buchanan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received April 10.)
(No. 87) Sir,
St. Petersburgh. April 4, 1911. IN his telegram No. 13 of the 27th of last month, His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokyo reported that the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs had spoken to him of a marked disposition on the part of the Russian Government to pick a quarrel with China.
So far as I have been able to ascertain there is but little, if any, foundation for this statement. Though it is probable that there is a party in the army that would favour a rupture with China and a consequent advance on Kuldja, I do not believe that the Government ever desired to push matters to extremities. It was, I think, with a feeling of relief that they received the last Chinese note giving them satisfaction on all six points, though the pressure which they have brought to bear on China in order to obtain this satisfaction may also be employed to induce her to consent to the maintenance of the treaty of 1881.
In a conversation which I had with him last week, the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs spoke to me of the incident as closed, and his Excellency gave me yesterday to understand that the troops which had been mobilised at Tashkend and in the M. Neratow, neighbourhood of the Chinese frontier would shortly be disbanded. moreover, did not seem to attach any importance to the reports which have appeared in some Russian and German newspapers of certain military measures which the Chinese Government are said to be taking, nor did he express any apprehensions as to the non-fulfilment of her engagements by China. Russia, he said, would now send a consul to Kobio, and steps would be taken to commence the suits that were pending in the mixed courts, to which reference was made in section 2 of the first Russian note to the Chinese Government. (See enclosure in my despatch No. 43 of the 21st, February.)
I have, &c.
GEORGE W, BUCHANAN.
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