The next move by the Consuls was to visit the Railway offices and place the seals of their respective governments on the chest containing the title deeds. whilst telegrams reporting the whole affair were severally despatched to Peking.
On the following morning (August 1), Genera] Chang Huan-siang walked into the office of Mr. Gondatti, head of the C.E.R. Land Department, and requested that the office be "handed over" to him. Mr. Gondatti refused, whereupon the General comfortably installed himself in Mr. Gondatti's arm chair, at the same time saying: Very well, I shall take it." General Chang's first administrative act was to declare the office closed for the day, and to announce that it would be open to the public next day.
Thereafter followed meetings of the consuls representing the Washington signatory powers, and of the whole Consular Body, and long discussions took place upon this violation of the agreement by the conference to maintain the status quo of the railway.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.