3. But on July 10, the authority of the Three Eastern Provinces, mindful of the plot indicated in the documents obtain-inthe Harbin Consulate raid, and with a view to crush the plot' in its infancy, had already taken action against' the Chinese Eastern Railway and other Soviet offices.
The incident was thus preeipitated. Our Government however, with the usual good intention immediately prepared proposals to be made to the Soviet Government for a peaceful solution of the problem on hand.
was in the same spirit of peace hat our Government answered the ultimatum of Soviet Russia of July 438, which contained many misstated facts, Whin the second ultimatum was sent to us on July 17 by Soviet rejecting our proposal to negotiate, recalling all their representatives and breaking all relations and communication, our Government forthwith issued a manifesto to the diferent Powers, explaining the fects of the case and declaring our Peaceful intention. This was. also done with a view to bringing Soviet Russia to a reasonable understanding of the situation.
Nanking's Peacefulness Emphasized 4. As our original aim was to prevent Soviet Russia from making further propaganda and as the Chinese Eastern Railway had already fen taken over for the moment, thereby depriving Soviet Russia of a base of operation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs advised the Govern: ment in a confidential despatch to make preparation for border defence on one hand, and on the other hand to provide relief measures for 'Chinese citizens residing in Russian territory, as Soviet Russia had no intention of settling the' incident, and, on our part, there was no avenue open to us to approach them for negotiation, Our stand, has always been, was to seek a peaceful solution and to avoid by all means any war measure, 5. The Soviet Consul at Harbin gave us to understand that the Soviet Government hed expressed their willingness to settle this incident with-China without the mediation of any third country, Yet nothing further was heard from him, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs then instructed the Chinese Minister in Germany, General Chiang Tsar ping to approach Russia for negotiation for settlement. by mediation, This also failed on account of "the sincerity of Soviet Russia, 6 Then the land, naval and air forces of Soviet Russia made re-
Peated attacks on our northern borders. Thereupon, the Ministry of Foreign Affaire issued. succwsively manifestoes to the signatories of the Anti-War Pact, declaring that the Chinese Government, having due respect for the Anti-War. Pact, was ready to commence direct negotiation with Russia, and was also making preparation to present the case in the League of Nations,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.