File No. 1571/10–12.
The Secretary of State to Chargé Fletcher.
Washington, January 21, 1908.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 792, of the 6th ultimo, inclosing a copy of a memorandum prepared by Scientific Attaché Schellhoss, of the German consulate general at Shanghai, together with illustrative sketches, criticizing the scheme for the improvement of the Whang-poo River.
You state that the criticisms are based on Article XI of the agreement of September 27, 1905; and that the concensus of opinion among diplomatic representatives in China is that interference with the Whang-poo conservancy scheme is at present inadvisable.
In reply I have to say that the department views with sincere regret any attempt on the part of a foreign power to interfere with the Whang-poo conservancy scheme at this present juncture, unless such interference is plainly justified by incontestable tacts.
I am, etc.,