Mr. Adee to Mr. Conger.
Washington , July 6, 1904 .
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch, No. 1603, of May 12 last, in which you state that the German consul-general at Shanghai has been appointed a permanent member of the Whangpu Conservancy Board, and one Schellhoss has been designated as his permanent proxy, and request that the American member of the board be instructed accordingly.
In reply I have to inform you that since your dispatch was written the viceroy of Nanking has submitted to the diplomatic representatives at Peking proposals looking to the execution of the work of improving the Whangpu under the sole control and at the sole expense of the Chinese Government, to which proposals a qualified assent has’ been given by the Department.
The creation of a permanent proxy for the German member of this board does not therefore require further consideration for the time being.
I am, etc.,
Acting Secretary,