Memorandum of the Russian embassy left at the Department of State.

[Translation.]

With the object of preventing misunderstandings arising, the Imperial Government considers it its duty to define more definitely the limits of the border regions in Manchuria which may be used as the field of military operations, and to which, consequently, the neutrality of China is not applicable.

Besides the portion of Manchuria actually occupied by the Russian forces, the following will be outside of the neutral territory: A portion of the region situated on the right bank of the Liao Ho, the boundaries of which are formed by the Liao Ho, by the railway line Ying-Kau—Gou-tau-tze, afterwards by the railway line to a point where this line crosses an affluent of the Liao Ho, the Liou Ho (a little south of Sin-min-thun) and finally by the said affluent, the Liou Ho, as far as the frontier of Mongolia.

The occupation of this region is solely indispensable for the object of protecting the railway line built by Russia against the attacks of the numerous bands of Hunhuses, the presence of which to the west of the Liao Ho is acknowledged by the Chinese Government itself.

The portion of the province of Mukden outside of the above-defined region and extending as far as the great wall might be recognized as inviolable by both belligerents.

It appears from the above that, in anticipation of the fundamental idea which inspired the powers in their efforts to localize the war, the Imperial Government is ready to considerably restrict the theater of military operations in Manchuria if China observes strictly her neutrality. The Imperial Government would on its side consider itself released from all obligation taken in case the Chinese Government should allow the Japanese to violate the inviolability of the neutral territory within the above-mentioned limits.