The Under Secretary of State
2
June 19th, 1916.
780
1
to the fact that the terms, which he submitted on behalf of Lessrs. Reiss in London, were worthless because they included the deduction of these undefined expenses; and, hearing neither by mail nor cable on this vital point, I once more oabled him on the 31st way pointing out to him that: "unless expenses hitherto charged are meant, must state nature other expenses which might nullify our share commission, yet leave Reise
a profit".
On the 3rd June I once more reminded Mr. Carroll by cable that Messrs. Reise's offer was uncertain and that we should rather agree to a smaller share of commission if computed on the far simpler and more rea- sonable basis of a share of the definite commission stipulated in the Lexas contract, as offered moreover to Lesers, Reise by Mr. Carroll him-
self.
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However all without avail and it was only on the 12th June i.e. quite a month after I drew attention to the uncertainty of these terms that Lesers. Reiss in London at laat saw fit to explain them; the Texas Company having meanwhile (viz: on the 10th June) cabled kr. Douglass, their Hongkong representative, for an explanation from that
quarter.
The Hongkong house promptly replied, through Ar. Douglass, stating that $ 24,000. a year was the amount they were prepared to "fix" A day later Lr. Carroll cabled me, however, that the London people only "estimated" these expenses to be $ 24,000., thus leaving mattera once more in statu quo. Loreover this figure, indefinite as it is, is ex- orbitant in connection with any return-commission arrangement, such as the one contemplated in this case. Apart from this, experience has taught that arrangements on an indefinite basia such as the one now pro-
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