جسم
2
Wai-wu Pa, in regard to their communication of 16th March, 1902, will declare that it has no reference to railway extension into the interior, but relates only to railway con- nection at the frontier. An offer of construction as far as Tengyueh may eventually be made by them. In view of the railway right to Yunnan-fu obtained by the French with the selection of their own route, I submit that equal rights should be demanded by us. This, I consider, will eventually be necessary, and once our claim is admitted, it will be open to us to carry out only as much as we choose,'
"
(Repeated to Foreign Secretary with Viceroy.)
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opinion that the Governor-General will do nothing; on the other hand, such information would probably remove all trouble.”
(Repeated to Foreign Secretary with Viceroy.)
;
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Government of Burmah to Government of India.
(Telegraphic.) P.
October 25, 1906. WITH reference to my telegram, regarding reconnaissance to Tali, dated 6th October, a telegram has been received from Wilkinson as follows:---
"In regard to your telegram No. 180, I have telegraphed to Peking that Governor- General is being pressed by a small hut noisy opposition to revoke his consent to reconnaissance and to issue orders forbidding the party to cross the frontier. This consent (verbal) was given as a matter of course, as two surveys had already taken place, no question having then arisen of a Chinese Tengyueh Railway. A signed translation of my telegram No. 12, intimating that the question of construction was to be left over for future discussion, has been sent by me to Governor-General; opposition is consequently purely factious. Treaty right to travel is in any case open to British subjects, who do not need any further authorization of the Chinese Government. Our right to survey follows, if we insist on our right to equal treatment to the French. Please let me know how negotiations with Wai-wu Pu are progressing, also send instructions as to reconnaissance."
No trace can be found of the telegram No. 12 referred to by Wilkinson; please see, however, telegram of 18th May, 1906, from British Minister at Peking to the Foreign Office under your indorsement of 26th July. In the opinion of the Government of Burmah, the British Minister at Peking should be asked by telegram to instruct Wilkinson in regard to the reconnaissance that it should be kept distinct from other matters, the details of the party and its proposed time of starting being merely notified, and the Governor-General being informed that protection similar to that given to last survey party will be expected.
(Repeated to Foreign Secretary with Viceroy.)
(Telegraphic.) P.
Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
Government of Burmah to Government of India,
October 6, 1906.
PLEASE refer to your telegram dated 17th September. Wilkinson telegraphs, in reply to my telegram regarding the departure on 1st January of the Tali reconnaissance party, that, owing to difficulty of the country, the party should start early in December, and be accompanied by electrical engineers. He is of opinion that, pending the settlement of the Tengyueh Railway question, the Chinese authorities should receive no further information regarding the reconnaissance. On this point the Consul at Tengyueh remarks that protection as in last year's survey is all that is required, and that this would be given by the Chinese for the asking. A later telegram from Wilkinson repeats bis opinion that a formal intimation is not necessary, but that a casual mention in the course of conversation would be unobjectionable.
A reply to Wilkinson has been wired by the Lieutenant-Governor in answer to his telegram of the 2nd October, that the survey party cannot start before the 1st January, that he is advised that at this stage the services of electrical engineers are unnecessary, and that protection and countenance, similar to last year, is all that is required from the Chinese.
With regard to the telegram of the 14th September from the Secretary of State for India to the Viceroy, the Lieutenant-Governor of Burmah is of opinion that protection and local assistance should be arranged for either by you or the Consul at Tengyueh, even if a formal application for further authorization should not be made. He has informed the Consul at Tengyueh that protection, &c,, similar to last year, is all that is required, and he thinks that arrangements on that account should be left to the Consular officers.
(Telegraphic.) P.
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
Government of Burmah to Government of India.
November 2, 1906, MY telegram 25th October, 1906, regarding reconnaissance towards Tali. Telegram received from Wilkinson as follows:-
"British Minister at Peking telegraphs, 28th October, that he has taken no steps in regard to the Tengyueh Railway or reconnaissance, nor has he been approached on the subject by the Wai-wu Pu.
"On 31st October I telegraphed to Peking, with reference to my telegram immediately preceding, that a communication from the Governor-General had been received to the effect that circumstances had changed since last survey, and that a Chinese Company had memorialized for permission to undertake the Tengyueh Railway. Please instruct me as to whether I should inform the Government of India that Wai-wu Pu has been asked by the Yunnan Government to consult you, and that meanwhile survey party should be delayed. Nothing more can be done by me either in connection with the survey or the railway until you can induce the Wai-wu Pu to inform the Yunnan Government that equal treatment to the French in the matter of railway construction in Yunnan must be allowed us. Without such an intimation I am of
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
Government of Burmah to Government of India.
October 14, 1906.
(Telegraphic.) P.
PLEASE refer to my telegram issued in accordance with your telegram dated the 1st October. A telegram has been received from Wilkinson as follows:
"With reference to your telegram No. 171, I telegraphed to British Minister last night that the Governor-General's formal acknowledgment of my despatch dated the 15th September had been received, containing a report of the notables without comment. This report quotes the Wai-wn Pu's communication to the British Minister in 1901, but ignores that of 1902, and states that they themselves are prepared to construct the railway.
The Governor-General is afraid of offering any opposition to the notables. He has been alarmed by an anonymous telegram from Fukien saying that Fuchow will be unhealthy for him; he is also agitated by the University students telegraphing to hasten the coming of his successor, aud he contemplates sending in his resignation.
"I intend to send the correspondence of 1902, and to intimate that equality of treatment to the French is expected by the Government of India. His reply will no doubt assert that in 1902 his Government were not consulted, and have no record of the correspondence cited, but that the matter will be left to the decision of the Wai-wu Pa."
A
request from Wilkinson has also been received for replies to his telegrams as quoted in my telegram dated the 22nd September.
(Repeated to Viceroy's camp.)
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