893.00/8513
The Ambassador in France (Herrick) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 1.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that I saw M. Charvériat, Assistant Chief of the cabinet of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, yesterday and talked with him regarding the French policy in China. He said that French policy continued exactly the same; they are firmly decided in no way to take part with any group in China, but to be absolutely neutral and to wait for the settlement of Chinese affairs by the Chinese. The French have sent the minimum force possible to protect their concession at Shanghai, and this force, including the police, does not number two thousand. Moreover, strict instructions have been given to this small force under no circumstances to set foot on the Chinese territory outside of the actual concession itself. M. Charvériat said that he understood the more considerable British forces have gone out of the concession on to Chinese territory to protect the approaches to the concession, but the French were not going to permit similar action on the part of their troops.
I remarked that the British had sent many more troops to Shanghai than had the French, and M. Charvériat replied that he supposed that [Page 88] the British thought that a larger number might be needed at the time they despatched them. He said that, in his opinion, even if the Cantonese occupied the Chinese city of Shanghai, they would not attempt to enter the international concessions.
In reply to another question, M. Charvériat said that the British policy now seemed to approximate that of the French, but that in the beginning it had differed somewhat in that the British, while negotiating with the Cantonese at one point, were sending strong forces to oppose them if the need arose at Shanghai.
He concluded by stating that the only regular diplomatic relations that France maintained anywhere in China were still those at Peking, but that the French dealt with the Cantonese when the need arose and would extend their representation with the Southerners if events demanded it.
Throughout our conversation, M. Charvériat continually emphasized the complete neutrality of French policy. He stated that British policy differed in some details from that of the French but he seemed to believe that France would have a stronger position in the future China on account of this fact.
I have [etc.]