File No. 893.51/942.
The American Minister to the Secretary of State.
Peking, June 14, 1912.
The Minister of Finance has served written demand on the bankers to answer by June 15 whether or not they will advance 19,000,000 taels more during June; otherwise he will get the money elsewhere. He knows that the bankers cannot answer definitely within the time be has fixed, as they are dependent on the result of the Paris meeting. The ultimatum suggests interference from outside at this end. It is [Page 138] reported that Tong has been conferring with the Russians. Possibly Russia prefers to have the Chinese break with the groups here and thereby relieve her of the onus of forcing a rupture in Paris.