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the subject of the petition, which is the expulsion
of German subjects from the British Concession on
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Shameen.
With regard to the attitude of individual German
residents on this Concession, I can only confirm the
statement made in my telegram of the 20th instant
that it has hitherto been quite correct. This state-
ment applies, of course, to their outward demeanour
only. Many of them have, undoubtedly, used every
endeavour to disseminate false news among the
Chinese, to magnify the achievements of their own
arms and to bring into contempt those of Great
Britain and the Allies, and it may be regarded as
certain that much of this propaganda has been and
still is prepared within the Concession. But as
regards the general behaviour of the Germans towards
the rest of the community on the Concession, there
exists, in my opinion, no ground for complaint. They
realise, I believe, that it is to their own interests
to preserve a quiet and orderly demeanour and I
learn