rial
Government is willing to treat the matter as if the threat had never
been uttered. It is reasonable for the Imperial Government to expect
that the Government of the Republic of China will revise its views
respecting the question.

"Germany's enemies were the first to declare a blockade on Germany
and the same is being persistently carried out. It is therefore
difficult for Germany to cancel her blockade policy. The Imperial
Government is nevertheless willing to comply with the wishes of the
Government of the Republic of China by opening negotiations to
arrive at a plan for the protection of Chinese life and property,
with the view that the end may be achieved and thereby the utmost
regard be given to the shipping rights of China. The reason which
has prompted the Imperial Government to adopt this conciliatory
policy is the knowledge that, once diplomatic relations are severed
with Germany, China will not only lose a truly good friend but will
also be entangled in unthinkable difficulties."

In forwarding to Your Excellency the above instructions from my home
Government, I beg also to state that--if the Government of China be
willing--I am empowered to open negotiations for the protection of
the shipping rights of China.

I have the honour to be....

(Signed by the German Minister.)

March 10, 1917.

With a Parliamentary endorsement behind them there remained nothing for
the Peking Government but to take the vital step of severing diplomatic
relations. Certain details remained to be settled but these were
expeditiously handled. Consequently, without any further discussion, at
noon on the 14th March the German Minister was handed his passports,
with the following covering dispatch from the Chinese Foreign Office. It
is worthy of record that in the interval between the Chinese Note of the
9th February and the German reply of the 10th March the French
mail-steamer _Athos_ had been torpedoed in the Mediterranean and five
hundred Chinese labourers proceeding to France on board her drowned.

_Your Excellency_:--

With reference to the new submarine policy of Germany, the
Government of the Republic of China, dictated by the desire to
further the cause of world's peace and to maintain the sanctity of
International Law, addressed a protest to Your Excellency on
February 9th and declared that in case,