CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 397

395

:

COPY

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

Your Excellency,

•

te, the undersigned Ministers of the "nited 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 Cheklang. mile entirely imor-

ant of the degree of credence to be attached to these

reports we nevertheless fit our duty to remind the

Chinese Government of the enormous foreign interests that

exist in the region of Shanghai, which the Chinese Govern-

ment 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 obliga- tions of the Chinese lovernment effectively to prevent loss of life and property to memebers of the foreign community in and about Shanghai.

Y

Te, the undersigned, are constrained to add that in the event that the Government of Chija, or the authorit les of the provinces concerned, fail to afford to these lagi- timate 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 art 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.

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

ZAWA.