147
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]
From CHINA.
Sir M. Lampson, (Nanking),
88
Decypher.
2nd April, 1931.
2nd April, 1931.
D.
R.
9.30 a.m.
5th April, 1931.
No.102. (Tour).
(80)
In taking leave of Minister for Foreign Affairs
last night I enquired if he had further considered our
conversation of March 30th (my telegram No.87) and was
now prepared to make any advance of his offer of Shanghai
only.
(2.) He replied it was quite impossible to offer
more and even that offer was dependent upon 1 its
being approved by Central Foreign Relations Council and
2 as in reservation being merely temporary.
(3.) I warned him that my hint about surrender of
criminal jurisdiction was also strictly conditional and
that unless he came further to meet us on one point (out
of original four) I foresaw gravest difficulties: I
begged him to weigh most carefully the responsibility he
would incur if he threw away on that account what prom-
ised to be an excellent arrangement for his country.
(4) He remained unyielding so I left it that I must await reaction of the situation as now fully laid before you. Meantime let him see if he could get anything like such terms from other Powers with whom he was negotiating.
(5) Our discussion was as usual conducted in the best of tempers on both sides.
(6) I have since seen my interested colleagues and do not think there is any danger of their weakening regarding reserved areas. They all realise the necess- ity of strengthening my hands in that respect. I have arranged to keep in closest touch with all three of them.
Addressed to Foreign Office No.102, April 2nd, repeated to Peking and Ïokyo.