893.00/4515: Telegram
The Minister in China (Schurman) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 28—5:35 p.m.]
286. Your 153, June 23, 4 p.m. Japanese Minister has not approached me or Ministers of Belgium, Holland, which maintain small Legation guards, on this point. I find however that at a conference of ministers interested in loan secured by salt surplus following a conversation on interference collection of salt revenues he incidentally mentioned it to British and French Ministers after informing them of the withdrawal of Japanese troops from Hankow. They pointed out to him that in case of anti-foreign troubles in China it would be easy for Japan to pour in a large body of troops in a short time while other nations would be helpless.
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British War Council last spring, in response to demand for economy, consented to withdrawal of British troops from North China but Foreign Office objected and requested Legation to consider how otherwise economy might be practicable. Recently General Fowler, Commander in Chief, has been here from Hongkong and had conferences with military attaché and Legation on the subject. They have agreed that total British force in North China might be reduced to two companies of 200 or 250 men each. Object of retaining this force is not all for military protection but moral effect. British expect China to demand withdrawal of all foreign troops when extraterritorial commission meets. They contemplate with equanimity such complete withdrawal in four or five years but consider above-mentioned reduction the best course at present.
French Minister argues that if troops are to be reduced the first step should be the modification of the protocol whose terms the troops are here to enforce. For his part he is opposed even to reduction at the present time.
In my own opinion presence of foreign troops undermines the Chinese sense of responsibility for the protection of foreigners in Peking, Tientsin, et cetera, and the maintenance of communications with the sea. I do not believe nor have I found anyone here who believes that a recurrence of anti-foreign sentiment leading to attacks [Page 722] on foreigners like those of the Boxers can be considered as a probability for the Chinese of the twentieth century. …