This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
521
[May 8.]
SECTION 1,
Sir M. de Bunsen to the Marquess of Lansdowne.--(Received May 8.)
(No. 41. Confidential.) My Lord,
Lisbon, May 3, 1905. WITH reference to Sir Martin Gosselin's despatch No. 13, Confidential, of the 15th February last, I have the honour to state that the Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke to me yesterday on the subject of the draft Treaty between Portugal and China, signed at Shanghae on the 11th November, 1904. His Excellency reminded me that he had communicated to my predecessor, for transmission to your Lordship, the authentic text of the proposed Treaty. It would have to be submitted before long to the Cortes for approval, and Senhor Villaça said that he would be particularly grateful to your Lordship if you would enable me to inform him, before this was done, whether His Majesty's Government would like to offer any observations upon it. He felt that it was an important matter for even one of the smaller European Powers to make a Treaty with China, and he would be glad of any suggestions on the subject, and to know how the draft Treaty had struck your Lordship, if you had had time to consider it.
I asked Senhor Villaça if there was any special point as to which he desired the opinion of His Majesty's Government. He said he did not want to particularize any point, but merely to ask for comments on the draft Treaty as a whole, as he should like to feel, in presenting it to the Cortes, that it was in accordance with the general interests of all European Powers having relations with China.
As the present Session of the Cortes is not likely to be a long one, your Lordship may, perhaps, feel disposed to favour me with a telegraphic reply, in the event of your having any particular observations to offer.
I have, &c. (Signed)
M. DE BUNSEN.
[1977 h-1]