as a basis for settlement of the silver question
that it should be sealed in a neutral bank and
that say £100,000 should be used for urgent
flood relief purposes under expert cœmittee
comprising British, Japanese, Chinese and
possibly French representatives. lle was
authorised on 28th November (Foreign Office
telegram io.799) to approach the Japanese
Government on that basis, and on Ɛnd December
(Tokyo telegrams Nos.1581 and 1582) he
discussed the matter with the Japanese
Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, as a result
of which it was agreed that he should draft an
arrangement on the lines that!-
1. Silver should be transferred to either
(a) a neutral bank or (b) to the Hong Kong and
Shanghai Bank and Yokohama Specie Bank jointly
or (c) to a safe deposit under the joint
control of these banks.
2.
Silver to remain under seal until such
time as agreement is reached between the
British and Japanese Goverments for a
modification/
49