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2.
again on the cubject, you should indicate that that is tho
attitude which His Majesty's Governsent propose to adopt.
It would however be better to avoid taking any initiative
on the subject.
2. As regards the mandate of May 4th you should
take an early opportunity of stating to the Minister for
Foreign Affairs that while His Majesty's Government would
prefer entirely to ignore the mandate, and do not therefore
demand its rescission, they would take a most scrious vier
of any attempt by the Chinese Govorimont or by any mis-
guided local official to enforce the mandate on the 1st
January or, indeed, at any time before negotiations on the
subject of extraterritoriality have been brought to a
satisfactory conclusion and an agreement has come into
force. Any such attempt would be firmly resisted.
Majesty's Government would not hesitate to take what
measures were open to them to maintain the treaty privilegou
of their nationals and they have no doubt that other
Governments, with whom they are in consultation on the
subject, would join them in such measures.
HLE