For four days a discussion
raged which created the greatest uneasiness; but by the 8th
February, President Li Yuan-hung had made up his mind--the final
problem being simply the "conversion" of the Military Party to the
idea that a decisive step, which would forever separate them from
Germany, must at last be taken. It is known that the brilliant
Scholar Liang Ch'i-chao, who was hastily summoned to Peking,
proved a decisive influence and performed the seemingly impossible
in a few hours' discussion. Realizing at once the advantages which
would accrue from a single masculine decision he advised instant
action in such a convincing way that the military leaders
surrendered. Accordingly on the 9th February the presence of the
German Minister was requested at the Chinese Foreign Office when
the following Note was read to him and subsequently transmitted
telegraphically to Berlin.
Your Excellency:
A telegraphic communication has been received from the Chinese
Minister at Berlin transmitting a note from the German Government
dated February 1st, 1917, which makes known that the measures of
blockade newly adopted by the Government of Germany will, from
that day, endanger neutral merchant vessels navigating in certain
prescribed zones.
The new measures of submarine warfare, inaugurated by Germany,
imperilling the lives and property of Chinese citizens to even a
greater extent than the measures previously taken which have
already cost so many human lives to China, constitute a violation
of the principles of public international law at present in force;
the tolerance of their application would have as a result the
introduction into international law of arbitrary principles
incompatible with even legitimate commercial intercourse between
neutral states and between neutral states and belligerent powers.
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