Office of the Historian

393.1123 Lincheng/168: Telegram

The Minister in China (Schurman) to the Secretary of State

Peking, June 22, 1923—4 p.m.
[Received June 22—11:15 a.m.]

235. My 231, June 20, 5 p.m. Committee today reconsidered section on pecuniary indemnities and decided that diplomatic body would demand only the three following categories: [Page 665]

  • “1. Indemnities for loss of baggage and other objects stolen or carried off at the time of the attack on the train, the same to be based on the declaration of the parties concerned as agreed by their respective consuls.
  • B. Fixed indemnities for deprivation of liberty and for the hardships and indignities undergone by all the foreign travelers whilst they were in the hands of the bandits, namely, 500 silver dollars per prisoner per day for the first three days of detention, May 6th, 7th, 8th, and 100 silver dollars per prisoner per day for the following days.
  • C. Indemnities for the reimbursement of the relief expenses of the prisoners.”

The principle of the other two remaining categories, namely, indemnities for loss of earnings and bodily injury including death and indemnities for diminution of earning capacity, is supported and asserted by the diplomatic body, but these claims are to be made by the individual legation.

[Paraphrase.] Although the alleged reason for the change was the danger that the precedent would bring results which in the future would embarrass and overburden the diplomatic body, the immediate incentive was the belief that under the categories named in the preceding paragraph some legation would make an exorbitant claim which the diplomatic body would be obliged to support even though it did not approve of it.

Committee meets Monday, 25th, to consider question of railway police force under foreign control or inspection. [End paraphrase.]

Schurman