The Secretary of State to the Chinese Minister.
Washington , January 4, 1905 .
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note No. 46, of the 22d ultimo, in which you inform the Department that it is the decision of the Imperial Chinese Government to cancel and annul the agreements made with the American China Development Company, bearing date April 14, 1898, and July 13, 1900; and you state the reasons which have forced the Imperial Government to take that step.
In reply I have the honor to say that in view of the steadily increasing and improving commercial relations between the United States and China I feel convinced that you will strongly urge on your government not to take the action contemplated until all the interested parties have been heard from.
Accept, sir, etc.,