CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 539

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Chinese should be in a position to play one country

off against another, and considered that a combination

should be formed of England, France, Germand and America

which should act together. In commenting upon the

resources and the power of the American group the Am-

bassador, I think, implied, though he did not say, that

its competition might be as damaging as its co-opera-

tion might be a source of strength.

The United States

With regard to the

Government held this general view.

Hankow-Szechuan line, arrangements, as he understood,

had been made only for the Hupei section, and the

American group might have a share in the extension.

I told him that the three groups had come to a

joint arrangement covering the whole line. I said

that the United States views and proposals must be ad-

justed by the financial groups interested and asked

him to let me have them in writing.