CO129-384 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 108

NMSPS/YKANAAL >*< atliko kan

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

[B]

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[June 26.]

SECTION 3,

[25594]

No. 1.

Sir Edward Grey to Mr. O'Beirne.

(No. 173.) Sir,

Foreign Office, June 26, 1911. COUNT BENCKENDORFF spoke to me to-day about article 16 of the Chinese currency loan and its application to Manchuria. To the Russian Government this appeared to pledge the Chinese to borrow only from this one syndicate for all operations in Manchuria in future, and they therefore wished the article to be omitted. The accompanying aide-mémoire which he left with me explains the Russian view more in detail.*

I said that this could not be the intention of the article. I had already suggested that the doubt as to the intention might be dispelled by the publication of a specific programme of works to which the loan should be allocated, stating definitely in each case the actual work to be accomplished. I would speak to the United States Ambas- sador on the subject.

I am, &c.

Aide-mémoire.

[2062 cc-3]

E. GREY

107