Peking, April 23.
It is understood that the Consortium negotiations are being held up by the Chinese action with to the Hukuang Railway loan of £6,000,000.
When China declared war on the Central Empires the German portion of this loan, amounting to nearly one quarter, was declared forfeit and it now transpires that the bonds, which were bearer bonds, have been negotiated several European capitals. The German holdings are now practically nil.
China insists on the forfeiture of the bonds and payment of an indemnity by Germany.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.