893.51/5154: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Paraphrase]
Peking, June 26,
1929—noon.
[Received June 26—5:04 a.m.]
[Received June 26—5:04 a.m.]
510. Following from the American Consul at Nanking:
June 24, 11 p.m. The British Minister this afternoon informed me that negotiations with the Chinese were not proceeding well. As to remitting the Boxer Indemnity to China, Sir Miles Lampson stated that the money was apparently regarded by the Chinese as already theirs, while the British Parliament had yet, as a matter of fact, to make public the terms which would govern release of the funds by Britain.
- (2)
- In the British Minister’s opinion, Parliament’s decision would very likely be that, other things being equal, the money would be used to purchase British goods. As to Weihaiwei’s retrocession to China, Sir Miles said that after an agreement had been reached as to all the terms, the Chinese Foreign Office had introduced certain perfectly preposterous demands. These included, he said, the automatic reversion to the Chinese Government of all property titles acquired in Weihaiwei and the debarment from future residence there of all foreigners. He had told the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs that such terms were not to be considered. There the matter stood at present.
- (3)
- As to preparing a new treaty—the British Minister had pointed out that such was not necessary, because the existing treaty with China84 still had four years to run—Dr. C. T. Wang had insisted on the interposing of clauses carrying with them clearly or by implication the immediate relinquishment of extraterritoriality;85 and this, Sir Miles stated plainly, he was not ready even to discuss. The only explanation Sir Miles could offer for Dr. Wang’s extraordinary attitude was that the Chinese authorities count much on the new British Labor Government’s assuming a presumably more indulgent attitude to China.
For the Minister:
Hewes