if
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The following day the Consul-General reported this understanding by telegraph to his Minister for communication to the Government of India. In consequence the Govern- ment of India took counsel, and everything has been arranged. As before, Mr. Lilley was selected to go and make the reconnaissance. When the Consul-General wrote or this occasion to the Governor-General, it was solely for the purpose of informing his Excellency of the date of Mr. Lilley's departure and of requesting protection; the Consul-General by no means asked that his letter should be handed to the Directors of the Yunnan-Szechuan Railway for discussion. The date of Mr. Lilley's departure has been fixed, and it would not be convenient to stop him. The Directors should, it would seem, not be suffered to obstruct; and the Consul-General would again request his Excellency to send telegraphic instructions to the Intendant of Western Yünnan to direct the local authorities everywhere to afford protection and assistance as before. In making this urgent request, he would ask his Excellency to be good enough to acknowledge receipt of his present letter.
Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
Governor-General Ting to Consul-General Wilkinson.
Received October 20, 1906.]
THE Governor-General has the honour to acknowledge receipt of the Consul- General's note saying that the British engineer Lilley, with assistant engineers and others, is coming to Tengyuch to make a reconnaissance of the country between Teng- yuch and Tali. The Consul-General states that at his visit to the Governor-General's yamên this was verbally agreed to, and that he did not ask for [his letter] to be handed to the Yunnan-Szechuan Company for discussion. The date of Lilley's departure has been fixed; and it is again asked that Kuan Taotai be instructed by telegraph to direct the local officials to afford protection as before. A reply is requested.
When the Consul-General did the writer the honour to call at his yamên in the 4th moon (May 1906), he wrote with his own hand to say that "A telegram received from the Chargé d'Affaires, Mr. Carnegie, instructs the Consul-General to sound the Governor-General as to his willingness to discuss the construction of a railway from Burmah to Tengyueh. The Consul-General has accordingly the honour to address the present note, an acknowledgment of which he begs." The Governor-General thereupon fixed on a day and answered. The Consul-General on the 25th (16th May) came to his office and had an interview with him. What passed was on the subject of the note- namely, a railway to Tengyueh from Bhamo.
The note now under acknowledgment states that it was then settled that engineers from Burmah should make a reconnaissance of the routes between Tengyueb and Tali; but the Governor-General really finds it impossible to admit this. Should insistence be shown and popular feeling not put up with it, then, as the jurisdictions are well defined, forcible opposition would inevitably be aroused and trouble brewed beyond all thought. How could the Governor-General face the Consul-General ? Reflecting that the latter has resided long in Yünnan and knows intimately its conditions, it is hoped that he will make extensive inquiry into public feeling and will deliberate most carefully, to the end that advantage may accrue to international relations,
As regards engineers crossing the border to survey routes, of course the Company had to be informed and the matter discussed by the Directors. The Company has memorialized for authority to act, and the Consul-General himself has before this called to consult them. The Directors are really and truly the representatives of the Yünnan-Szechuan and Tengyueh Railways, and whatever affects the position and competence of the Tengyueh Railway could not but be handed over to the Company for discussion.
Moreover, this side of Tengyuch is not an area which, in the original case, it was agreed should be surveyed. Engineer Lilley has twice studied the route, but on each occa- sion only as far as Tengyueh town. The Bhamo trace having been practically settled by survey, it is now begged that a reply may be sent by telegraph to the Minister and the Indian Government not to yet again order that engineer to cross the frontier. This is particularly requested, and the present note is indicted accordingly.
(With compliments.)
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Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
Governor-General Ting to Consul-General Wilkinson,
8th moon, 29th day (October 16, 1906). ON the 8th October the Governor-General had the honour to receive the Consul- General's note saying that the British engineer Lilley, with assistants and attendants, is to proceed to Tengyueh district to make a reconnaissance of the routes between Tengyueh and Tali, and requesting protection for the party. An acknowledgment was sent at the time.
The Governor-General would now observe that Engineer Lilley has twice taken part during previous years in a joint survey in the Tengyuch Railway, and has obtained à general idea of it. That railway has now been made the subject of a Memorial for the formation of a (Chinese) Company to raise funds for its construction by ourselves. It is emphatically on a special footing. All that affects the position and competence of this line must be publicly discussed by the Directors.
Circumstances have changed since the earlier joint surveys, and the Governor- General would request the Consul-General to telegraph to the Indian Government that as regards this matter Yunnan has telegraphed to the Wai-wu Pu to consult with the British Minister. It would be inexpedient that the Indian Government should order the engineer to cross the frontier and make a reconnaissance of the routes. This is important, and it is particularly requested that an acknowledgment may be sent.
While submitting this further reply, the Governor-General avails, &c.
Inclosure 7 in No. 1.
Consul-General Wilkinson to Governor-General Ting.
October 31, 1906.
THE Consul-General has just had the honour to receive his Excellency's letter on the subject of the request for protection to the British engineers proceeding to Tengyuch district to make a reconnaissance of the routes between Tengyueh and Tali, The Governor-General observes that a Memorial has been submitted for the formation of a (Chinese) Company to build the line themselves. The circumstances differ from those at the time of the earlier surveys, and the Consul-General is requested to telegraph to the Indian Government that as regards this matter Yünnan has telegraphed to the Wai-wu Pu to consult with the British Minister. It would be inexpedient that the Indian Government should order the engineers to cross the frontier and make a reconnaissance of the routes. This is important, his Excellency adds, and particularly requests an acknowledgment.
The Consul-General has telegraphed to the Government of India his Excellency's exalted views, and when a reply is received will again write. Meanwhile, he sends the present note in acknowledgment of his Excellency's request to telegraph, and avails, &c.
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