Mr. Hay to Mr. Choate.
Washington , February 8, 1904 .
(Mr. Hay instructs Mr. Choate to consult the minister for foreign affairs in regard to the possibility and desirability of neutral powers concurrently using good offices with Russia and Japan (if a state of war should unfortunately be created) to induce them to respect the neutrality of China and her administrative entity in all practicable ways, to limit and localize the area of hostilities as much as possible, in order that undue excitement and disturbance of the Chinese people may be prevented and the least possible loss may be occasioned to the commerce and the peaceful intercourse of the world. Further instructs him to suggest, if this proposition seems acceptable, that instructions in this sense be sent to the British representatives at St. Petersburg, Tokyo, and Peking.)