CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 285

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

283

20141

AFFAIRS OF CHINA,

CONFIDENTIAL.

[20826]

No. 1.

Foreign Office to War Office.

RECO Rece 1 JUL 10

[June 18.]

SECTION 1.

(Secret.) Sir,

Foreign Office, June 18, 1910. I AM directed by Secretary Sir Edward Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your Secret letter of the 10th instant relative to the maintenance of British troops and a legation guard in North China.

With reference to paragraph 3 of your letter, Sir E. Grey thinks it would be undesirable, on general political grounds, to apply to the Japanese Government for assistance, and His Majesty's Minister at Peking is of opinion that no such application would be necessary, as it might be taken for granted that on any indication of Chinese aggression Japanese troops would at once be brought from Manchuria to the assistance of the 500 men forming the Japanese garrison in North China.

I am to add that Sir E. Grey concurs in the opinion of the Army Council as to the desirability of retaining the British force at its present strength.

I am, &c.

[2788 s-1]

F. A. CAMPBELL.