LA
8
The D.I.G. proposed that the revenues from which these payments should be. made should be specifically stated, implying, of course, that the payments were a first charge on those revenues, and there seemed no objection to this being done. The Taotai, though not entirely accepting the D.I.G.'s idea in detail, admitted the principle of it by saying that in any case the funds for the first year's work could be raised and be in hand before commencing it.
The Taotai and the D.I.G. had an interview with the Viceroy, during which his Excellency showed a very genuine interest in the whole subject. He asked questions about M. de Rijke, to which the D.I.G. gave answers in the sense of the remarks above.
As
He expressed his own desire and intention to carry out any approved scheme. casually remarking that he had already, elsewhere, had experience of such work. regards funds, he said they would surely be provided; and he authorized the D.I.Q. to say that, as far as the matter relied with him, the public could have absolute confidence that the work would be fully and faithfully carried out.
As regards the question of guarantee of funds that is now offered--
1. We have the knowledge that China has never defaulted in or showed the least
inclination to repudiate any regularly-incurred official or public debt;
2. We should have the assurance of the Chinese Government embodied in a formal Convention that funds would be provided, and that their provision would be charged on certain specified revenues;
3. We have the personal assurance, which would no doubt be put in writing, of an exceptionally enlightened and high charactered Viceroy;
4. We should have a provision that the funds should always be in advance of the work;
5. We should have the security of any made land to which the Chinese Govern- ment had a claim, making, of course, full allowance for the right of, and claims for, value of work individually taken under proper authority by riparian proprietors; the value of price of this land should be considered an asset of the Conservancy Fund and not divertible to other purposes till the full work primarily required had been fully done and only needed maintenance ;
6. We should have the knowledge that, with one or two years' work done, and with a certain amount of money invested, with a certain amount always held in advance, any cessation would be impossible in face of the Convention, and in any case improbable;
7. We should have a provision that if certain work was not done in a specified time, as provided for in the new Agreement, the Protocol scheme, with all its bad features, was still liable to be insisted on, which the Chinese Government cannot desire, if any one does; but it should be understood that when the work has been în hand and is being done and Chinese bona fides established for a certain number of years say three-the Protocol scheme becomes a dead letter.
The D.I.G. therefore has suggested to the Chinese and recommends-
1. The immediate inviting of M. de Rijke.
2. At the same time, while he is preparing his scheme, the making of a new Con- vention on the lines of Viceroy Wei's and the Minister's first ten proposals.
3. The provision of funds always a year in advance, with the detailing of where
they are to come from and who is responsible for their being provided.
4. The carrying out of the work on the engineer's lines, to be at once undertaken by the Customs Service-the men who are to be employed in doing it to be selected with the fact in view that it is to serve international interests and satisfy foreign as well as Chinese demands.
5. That when the scheme has been decided upon, full consideration will be given to the claims and rights of riparian owners, and facilities where, and as far as possible, accorded to them to do in advance such work as they are specially interested in.
The above views are put forward with the idea that they represent a workable scheme, fair to the Chinese Government, reasonable with regard to other interests, work necessary and entirely free from any motive but the desire to see a useful and properly and honestly done on business principles.
ROBERT E. BREDON.
(Signed)
9
Inclosure 7 in No. 1.
Baron Csikann to M. Knappe.
M. le Consul-Général,
Pékin, le 13 Janvier, 1905. PAR une lettre en date du 14 Décembre, 1904, MM. les Représentants du Conseil Municipal, de la Chambre de Commerce, et des Associations Anglaise, Allemande, Américaine, et Japonaise de Shanghaï se sont adressés à moi pour me prier de recommander à MM. les Représentants des Puissances Signataires du Protocole Final l'acceptation des propositions faites le 1 Décembre, 1904, par Sir Robert Bredon pour l'amélioration du Whangpou.
MM. les Représentants des Puissances Signataires du Protocole Final m'ont chargé de répondre à ces messieurs qu'ils ont pris note de leur lettre et du Mémoire y joint et qu'ils sont heureux de pouvoir les informer que des négociations visant le même but ont été engagées avec le Gouvernement Chinois depuis plusieurs mois déjà. Ces négociations ayant abouti à un résultat avant l'arrivée même de leur lettre du 14 Décembre, les termes sur lesquels on est tombé d'accord n'attendent plus que l'approbation des Gouvernements intéressés.
J'ai l'honneur de vous prier, M. le Consul-Général, de bien vouloir porter ce qui précède à la connaissance de MM. les Représentants des Corporations sus- mentionnées.
Veuillez, &c.
December 1, 1904.
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