File No. 5315/393–394.
The Chinese Chargé to
Minister Rockhill.1
Imperial Chinese Legation,
Washington, July 24,
1909.
Sir: I have the honor to inclose a translation
of a cablegram addressed to you from His Excellency Liang Tun-yen,
president of the Wai-wu Pu (Foreign Office), Peking.
The message, as you will see, relates to the question of America’s
participating in the railway loan, which my Government has been
negotiating in the last few months.
I avail, etc.,
[Inclosure.—Telegram.—Translation.]
The President of the Wai-wu
Pu to Minister Rockhill.
In the matter of the Szechuen-Hankow Railway loan, I have been
consulting and negotiating with His Excellency Chang Chih-tung and
the European bankers who are interested, and it is now proposed to
borrow, in addition to the original sum of £5, 500,000, half a
million pounds more. Of this total sum, £3,000,000 will be devoted
to the Canton-Hankow Railway and the remaining £3,000,000 to the
Szechuen-Hankow Railway. The American bankers will furnish one-half
of the sum for the Szechuen-Hankow Railway, namely, £1,500,000. In
thus arranging for the participation of the United States in the
loan to be floated we have in fact done our best to accede to the
wishes of the American Government. Hon. Henry P. Fletcher, your
chargé d’affaires at Peking, insists, however, on the principle of
America’s participation in the loan on an equal basis with the other
three nationalities interested, a principle which would seem to be
of no very great importance, with the result that the negotiations
can not be successfully concluded. Now, the negotiations with the
European bankers were begun first, and an agreement had been signed
with them, but China, always mindful of the friendly relations with
the United States, was willing to do whatever was possible to
gratify the wishes of the American Government in order to maintain
the very harmonious relations. Your Excellency is thoroughly
acquainted with the situation in Peking, and is aware of the
complicated circumstances, which may not be entirely known to His
Excellency the President. I shall consider it a very great favor if
you will be so kind as to inform His Excellency President Taft of
the difficulties in our way, so that it will be possible for the
matter to be settled at an early date. Please send me a reply by
cable.
