[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government. C. O.
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
88
24967
RECR (June 22 Rec? 26 JUL 09
SECTION 3.
[23488]
(No. 87.)
No. 1.
Mr. Bryce to Sir Edward Grey.~(Received June 22.)
(Telegraphic.) P.
HANKOW-SZECHUAN loan.
My telegram No. 86 of the 19th June.
North-East Harbour, Maine, June 22, 1909.
Secretary of State states that he instructed United States Ambassador in London to approach His Majesty's Government in the hope that they would support the claim to participation made by United States. Inasmuch as question might arise of United States interference in Chinese administration as seeing that li-kin dues are pledged to payment of interest, Secretary of State thought co-operation of United States would be welcome to His Majesty's Government. He had understood reply to Mr. Whitelaw Reid's representations to disclaim His Majesty's Government's interest and to refer United States Government to English banks in China.
Hereupon the United States Government had lodged its protest in Peking. German Government had expressed approval of the participation of American group, and French Government had stated that their banks alone were concerned in the matter.
Secretary of State, when he was assured that the co-operation of the United States would be valued by His Majesty's Government and that American rights of participa- tion would be respected, that negotiations might be wrecked if present agreement fell through, observed that United States Government only desired equal participation, and that the form it took was immaterial. He further expressed his views in terms reported in my immediately preceding telegram.
He would be content if agreement were ratified in its present form and friendly transfer of part of loan were made to American group by European banks.
(Following is confidential.)
United States Government, while willing to discuss amicably mode of satisfying United States claims, will not recede from claim to participation, as it has already declared its intentions publicly.
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