my despatches to the Shui-wu Ch'u and Wai-wu Pu (acknowledging theirs respecting duties of the new Ch'u).
As I said before, we are a Chinese office and we cannot question or oppose an Edict. If the Powers have passed the creation of the Ch'u as not inconsistent with the Loan Agreement clause, that Ch'u must exercise all the power the Wai-wu Pu had. Now, although the Pu gave me great liberty, it had it in its power to pull me up at any moment, e.g., require statistics to be submitted before printing, and the Ch'u will have and has the right to do the same. Thus we are really going on as before. But the tendency of the "new broom" will be in the direction of activity, and little by little the Inspectorate will find itself "edited" by the Ch'u; such "editing" will have its unpleasantness, but the Powers are hardly likely to intervene or interfere unless its result imperils the payments required for loans and indemnities.
Sincerely yours,
(Signed)
ROBERT HART
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
Page 754
[September 28.]
SECTION 1.
C
3828
RECE'Pr 17.00) 06
India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received September 28.) THE Under-Secretary of State for India presents his compliments to the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and, by direction of Mr. Secretary Morley, forwards herewith, for the information of the Secretary of State, copy of a telegram from the Viceroy, dated the 26th September, relative to the Burmah-China frontier.
India Office, September 27, 1906.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Government of India to Mr. Morley.
(Telegraphic.) P.
BURMAH-CHINA frontier. Your telegram of 1st ultimo.
September 26, 1906.
As regards northern section of this frontier, we do not think any further concession can be made. Possible compromise being confined to Burmah, we suggested to Local Government that, if China were to accept reasonable arrangements for the Tengyueh-Yunnan Railway, further concession in the Wa country might be made on our part. Local Government has replied that Lieutenant-Governor is still of opinion that no advantage will be gained by treating matters of frontier and Tengyueh Railway together. He recommends, as regards the railway, that stand should be made on note from Prince Ch'ing, dated 16th March, 1902, and submits that, if we depart from that strong position, and attempt to secure railway by offer of concessions elsewhere, our case will be much weakened. We have asked Local Government for further expression of their reasons for not making concession in the Wa country in return for settlement of the northern frontier and railway, and have desired them to furnish a map showing western boundary of the Wa country which we cannot control.
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[32691]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.