893.00 Nanking/126
The British Ambassador (Howard) to the Secretary of State
Sir: With reference to your note of April 22nd on the question of the presentation of a further identic note to Mr. Chen concerning the Nanking outrages, I have the honour, under instructions from His Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to bring the following to your attention.
After giving the latest reports received from His Majesty’s Minister at Peking and the various naval and military authorities in China the most careful consideration and examining them in all their bearings, His Majesty’s Government have finally decided against either the bombardment of the Hanyang Arsenal as a sanction for the Nanking outrages or a re-occupation of the Hankow Concession on the ground that the disadvantages attending both of these operations greatly outweigh any advantages which might possibly accrue from them. It is therefore, in the opinion of His Majesty’s Government, undesirable in present circumstances to proceed with either of these measures.
[Page 217]Having so decided, and being aware that other interested Powers are equally unprepared to agree to a policy of sanctions in principle, and that the question therefore of applying any other particular sanctions must be relegated to an indefinite future, His Majesty’s Government are of opinion that no useful purpose will be served by addressing any further note to Chen on this matter. The mere issue of minatory notes and peremptory demands, which are unsupported by a unanimous determination to carry out joint concrete effective measures for ensuring their fulfilment in case of refusal cannot but lower the prestige of all Powers so acting. His Majesty’s Government consider this argument is greatly strengthened by the fact that in the event of a further note being despatched to Chen it would, in any case, be signed by only four out of the five Powers who presented the first note, and the presentation of such a note would therefore be a clear indication of fresh disunion among the Powers themselves.
I am to add that His Majesty’s Government reserve to themselves full liberty of action as to the future and, in particular, in respect of any further outrages which may be perpetrated on the British flag, British nationals and British property.
I beg leave to state that His Majesty’s Minister at Peking is being instructed to make a similar communication to his United States, French, Italian and Japanese colleagues.
I have [etc.]