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Joint Note to Hai Chiao Pu of August 11th., 1923.

Your Excellency,

We, the undersigned Ministers of the United States, France, Great Britain, and Japan, have been disturbed of late by recurrent reports that there is the possibility of an outbreak of hostilities between the high provincial authorities of Kiangsu and Chekiang. While entirely ignorant of the degree of credence to be attached to these reports, we nevertheless feel it our duty to remind the Chinese Government of the enormous foreign interests that exist in the region of Shanghai, which the Chinese Government is by treaty under obligation to protect, to call attention to the incalculable losses and injuries which would inevitably result to those interests from the conduct of military operations in the region indicated, and to emphasize in the most solemn manner the inescapable obligations of the Chinese Government effectively to prevent loss of life and property to members of the foreign community in and about Shanghai.

We, the undersigned, are constrained to add that in the event that the Government of China, or the authorities of the provinces concerned, fail to afford to these legitimate interests the protection which it is the right of our respective nationals to expect, we shall hold the Chinese Government accountable for all consequent injuries and shall adopt such measures and utilize such means as are available to us to afford requisite protection to foreign residents, and to our trade and property, at or near Shanghai.

Accept, Excellency, the assurances of our highest consideration.

(signed) J.G. SCHURMAN, D.de PLEURIAU, R. MACLEAY, K. YOSHI-ZAWA.