CO129-501-2 Chinese situation- Boxer indemnity 5-2-1927 - 14-12-1927 — Page 77

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that the scheme should be procceded with as soon as

possible, is ready to stand down. No British members

have as yet been approached, and no steps will be taken

to obtain them until the question of the Chinese members

is settled.

The policy of the Foreign Office, therefore, for

the present, is to continue leisurely with the constitution

of the Provisional Committee and to wait on events before

deciding whether the Committee's recommendations regarding

the use of the Indemnity Funds require any modification.

The Foreign Office desire to carry out the recommendations

of the Advisory Committee, if they can possibly b9

reconciled with the existing state of affairs in China.

A question on the subject was asked in Parliament

on July 6th by Major General Sir Alfred Knox, N..

enquired what was now the total amount of the Tund and

whether the Secretary of State, after consultation with the

Advisory Committee, would use this sum to compensate

British Nationals robbed at Hankow, Nanking and other

Places in China. In reply Mr. G. Looker-Lampson stated

that the total Fund must now amount to nearly £2,000,000;

but that the Advisory Committee, having submitted their

recommendations, could hardly be expected to revise them

in favour of an entirely different policy.

F. ASHTON-GWATKIN

Secretary.