CO129-417 - Public Offices - 1914 — Page 302

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your question as to the ownership of the railway and

to have reported the facts regarding the alleged

traffic. I decided therefore to await a despatch

from Hongkong throwing more light on the origin of the

telegram.

The question of Tsingtao has now entered upon a

totally different phase and the railway traffic has

practically ceased and will doubtless end altogether

within a few days.

Although the correspondent referred to in Major

General Kelly's letter is notoriously untrustworthy

it is very probable that foodstuffs did reach Tsingtao

by the railway in question. The vigilance of this

Legation and of the Military Authorities in North

China was directed principally to the prevention of

the conveyance by the railway of arms and ammunition

to Tsingtao and less attention was, on grounds of

policy, paid to foodstuff. The question of neutrality

had to be treated on a comprehensive scale in the way

that seemed best calculated to suit British interests

as