482
Sir,
RENDITION OF BRITISH CONCESSIONS
Nanking, October 31, 1929.
With reference to my note of to-day's date in which I informed. Your Excellency of the decision of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to return to the National Government of the Republic of China the British Concession at Chinkiang, I have the honour to request Your Excellency's con- firmation of my understanding that British firms at Chinklang shall continue to enjoy the right of conveying goods, merchandise and material across the Bund from godowns to pontoons or ships in the stream and vice
versa,
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurance of my highest consideration.
(Signed) A. FRANCIS AVELING, For His Britannic Majesty's Minişler. His Excellency,
Dr. C. T. Wang, etc., etc., etc.
Minister for Foreign Affairs.
(Translation)
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, NANKING
October 31, 1929.
Excellency,
With reference to Your Excellency's note of to-day's date I have the honour to confirm your understanding that British firins at Chinklang shall continue to enjoy the right of conveying goods, merchandise and material across the Bund from godowns to pontoons or ships in the stream and vice versa.
I avall myself of this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurance of my highest consideration..
(Signed) CHENGTING T. WANG.
His Excellency,
Sir Miles Wedderburn Lampson,
His Britannio Majesty's Minister to China.
(Translation) MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, NANKING
October 31, 1929,
Excellency:
With reference to the question of the out- standing claims for losses sustained by British subjects at Chinklang in 1927, I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that the Chinese Government will place the sum of $68,000 at the disposal of the two Commis- eloners, one to be appointed by the Chinese Government and the other by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, who will jointly scrutinize the said claims, distribute the necessary amounts, and submit to the Chinese Government a statement of accounts together with the vouchers and other necessary papers. In the event of any balance remain- Ing over after the settlement of all the claims such balance will be returned to the National Government.
It is understood that the claims to be ex- amined shall be strictly limited to direct losses sustained by British subjects and that the pay- ments to be made on such claims shall not in total exceed the above-mentioned sum.
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurance of my highest consideration.
(Signed) CHENGTING T. Wang.
His Excellency,
Sir Miles Wedderburn Lampson,
His Britannio Majesty's Minister to China.
Nanking, November 9th, 1929.
have the honour to acknowledge the re- ceipt of Your Excellency's note of to-day's date which reads as follows:
"With reference to the question of the outstanding claims for losses sustained by British subjects at Chinklang in 1927, I have the honour to inform Your Excellency
Ch, XX
that the Chinese Government will place the sum of $68,000 at the disposal of the two Commissioners, one to be appointed by the Chinese Government and the other by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, who will jointly scrutinize the said claims, distribute the necessary amounts, and submit to the Chinese Government EL statement of accounts together with the vouchers and other neces- sary papers. In the event of any balance remaining over after the settlement of all the claims such balance will be returned to the National Government.
It is understood that the claims to be examined shall be strictly limited to direct losses sustained by British subjects and that the payments to be made on such claims shall not in total exceed the above-men- tioned sum.'
In reply I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom concur in the above pro- posals for the liquidation of the claims hi question.
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurance of my highest consideration.
(Signed) A, FRANCIS AVELING. For Hia Britannic Majesty's Minister, His Excellency,
Dr. C. T. Wang,
Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The British Concession at Amoy, having no Treaty basis, was more or less in the nature of leased land. Its area is small, although it had some sort of a Municpal Council. Since the summer of 1925, its police admin- istration has been exercised by the Chinese authorities.
Following the retrocession of the British Concession at Chinkiang, the British Govern. ment in the spring of 1930 intimated its willingness similarly to return the British Concession at Amoy. Preliminary negotia tions were conducted between the British Consul at Amoy and Admiral Li Kuo-keng, Naval Garrison Commander at Amoy. The final negotiations were concluded between the British Minister, Sir Miles Lampson and Dr. C. T. Wang, when the formal Notes word exchanged at Nanking on September 17, 1930. As soon as the Notes are approved by the Governments concerned, the formal rendition will be effected.
The text of the Exchange of Notes fol- lows:
Exchange of Notes for the Rendition of the British Concession in Amoy
BRITISH LEGATION, NANKING
September 17, 1930.
Sir,
With reference to our recent conversations regarding a settlement of the question of land tenure in the British Concession area at Amoy, I have the honour to request Your Excellency's confirmation of my understanding that the documents of title to the lots of land in the said area issued by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to nationals other than Chinese will be exchanged for Chineso deeds of perpetual lease, a registration fee of $1 per mow being charged, and that the said Concession will conse to exist and the Exchange of Notes of 1852 embodying the agreement covering the leasing of the sald area to His Majesty's Governinent will be cancelled as from the date on which the Chinese deeds of perpetual lease for the lots above referred to have been duly executed and Issued and handed to the British Consul at Amoy for transmission to the lotholders other than Chinese in the said area, and that as re-