2
Although the co-operation of Casenave vis-à-vis the Chinese would merely be for financial purposes, I doubt whether this would be believed by the Viceroy or the Chinese Government, and they might make use of Casenave's open intervention in this way as an excuse for evading their engagement of September 1905.
I should be glad if you would furnish me with your opinion on the matter. Personally, I think that, in view of the nature of the engagement mentioned above, Bland alone should conduct negotiations with the Viceroy.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Consul-General Fraser to Sir J. Jordon.
(No. 20.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Hankow, October 31, 1906. HANKOW-CANTON Railway: Please see your telegram No. 27 of yesterday's
date.
I have reason to believe that the Nanchang affair has intensified Viceroy's dislike for French methods, of which his Excellency spoke strongly to me on 9th September, 1905, and I am of opinion that if we tried to make his undertaking cover other than British financiers he would certainly claim that we had nullified our Agreement of last year.
There has been no alteration to my knowledge since my despatch No. 54 of 31st October last year, and my telegraphic reports of the same month on the Viceroy's position as to foreign loans.
From my experience and estimate of his character I do not believe that he will reopen negotiations until sure that the Peking Board's opposition will not recur, although the feeble response to his invitation to subscribe capital of Hupei section of the line to Szechuan should tend to his trying to borrow abroad.
Please let me know if you wish me to ascertain his views by requesting an inter- view to deliver the message contained in your telegram No. 25 of the 28th instant. I could remind his Excellency at the same time of the promise made by him last year.
(No. 31.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Consul-General Fraser.
Peking, December 10, 1906. BLAND and Casenave are, I understand, at Hankow, and it is possible that they may desire to see Viceroy on the subject of a loan for construction of Hankow-Canton Railway. See my telegram No. 27 of the 30th October. My views as stated therein, and of which Bland is aware, remain unaltered.
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
Consul-General Fraser to Sir J. Jordan,
My dear Sir John Jordan,
Hankow, December 12, 1906.
I SHALL report officially to-morrow the incidents reported in my telegram of this evening.
Bland sent me no word of his intentions, but a week ago the French Consul told me that at Casenave's request he was asking the Viceroy to receive Casenave, and he inquired whether I was doing the same for Bland, I replied no, as I had no instructions. He left saying he would let the Viceroy's Secretary know Bland would accompany Casenave.
Bland called yesterday, and said he felt bound by his instructions to go with Casenave.
When 1 expressed a doubt of the Viceroy's understanding such a collocation, Bland said that would be all right. He knew your views, but had noted in his diary that you agreed that he was bound to act with the strictest loyalty towards the representative of the French partners in the Syndicate.
3
I could not write to the Viceroy for him, but I let him send a note drawn up by my writer along with his card.
He then saw Casenave, who was and is laid up at the hotel with influenza, and learned that the Viceroy had said he was too busy to receive Casenave, and had told him to communicate his proposals through the Taotai.
At my suggestion Bland telephoned to the Taotai from the Hong Kong and Shanghae Bank aud arranged to call.
This morning the Viceroy replied, not to him, but to me, giving the gist of his letters from and to De la Batie.*
Thereupon Bland again saw Casenave, with whom he found the French Consul, and told him that there had been a serious blunder, and he must now set it right, as the Viceroy asked for explanations. They assented, and Bland drew up a plain-spoken Memorandum, which I embodied in a reply to the Viceroy.
At 12:30 Bland returned to say the Viceroy would receive him at 2:30 if I would come too. So we went and had a talk with Ch'ang, who held the same language as at my last interview.
I banded his Excellency my reply, which he read carefully, but no mention was made of Casenave. Chang was careful to emphasize that he could answer only for Hupei, and that Hunan declined utterly to discuss the loan question. The gentry there were, he reiterated, pig-beaded and barbarous, and his only hope was that he might get them to let Hupei build as far as Changsha, and possibly, after a time, to Kuangtung.
The old man looked ill, and said he was suffering from diarrhoea, so we came away soon, Bland leaving his pamphlet on "China's Proper Railway Policy" and the English of the Kowloon-Canton Agreement, of which he has had the Chinese translation published in the "Hsin-wen Pao" at Shanghao.
Yours sincerely, (Signed)
Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
Consul-General Fraser to Sir J. Jordan.
E. H. FRASER.
(No. 80.) Sir,
Hankow, December 13, 1906. IN confirmation of my telegram No. 25 of yesterday, I bave the honour to report that Mr. Bland called on me on his arrival on the 11th instant, and asked me whether he and M. Casenave were to see the Viceroy Ch'ang.
I replied that my French colleague had several days before told me that he was asking his Excellency to grant M. Casenave an interview, and inquired whether I was doing the same for Mr. Bland. When I said that I could take no such step, being without instructions, M. de la Batie stated that he would, in addition to his note to the Viceroy, notify his Excellency's Secretary that Mr. Bland would accompany M. Casenave. I added that I was still without instructions to help ou such a joint interview.
Mr. Bland explained that his instructions prevented his raising any objection to M. Casenave, who in the matter of railway loan negotiations was his colleague, going with him to see the Viceroy; and he added that he had noted in his diary that you bad assented to this view of his position.
After seeing M. Casonave, whom he found laid up with influenza, but set upon being present at any interview Mr. Bland might have with his Excellency Chang (who had, he said, referred him to the Taotai), Mr. Bland asked me to forward a note asking for an interview, which I let the Consulate writer draw up for him and in his
own name.
Upon my suggestion Mr. Bland also telephoned from the Hong Kong and Shanghae Bank to the Taotai asking to be received that evening.
Early yesterday morning I received from the Viceroy a note (copy and translation inclosed), which showed that the French authorities had, by misstating the relations of the representatives of the British-Chinese Corporation, roused the Viceroy's suspicions.
Mr. Bland, after reading this note, called on M. Casenave, with whom he found M. de la Batie, read them his Excellency Chang's note, and obtained assent to his
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* The French Consul.
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