§ Sir A. Knoxasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that Chinese at Tsingtao have been ordered by the Japanese authorities to withdraw their deposits from British banks in that town and to place them in a Japanese bank; and whether he will take action to prevent this?
§ Mr. ButlerI have received a report to the effect that the Chinese Chamber of Commerce at Tsingtao has issued instructions to all its members that unless their2070W accounts which up to the present have been kept with British banks are transferred to either the Bank of China, or the Federal Reserve Bank, or the Yokohama Specie Bank they will be given no facilities to export produce. This order has occasioned large withdrawals from the British banks. My Noble Friend is now consulting His Majesty's Consul-General at Tsingtao urgently in the matter.