co.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL,
Jure 17.44463
389
SECTION
TI JUL 07
(19890]
(No. 206.)
!
Sir,
4274
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received June 17.)
Peking, April 30, 1907. IN my despatch No. 116 of the 5th ultimo I had the honour to transmit to you of a despatch, which I had received from Mr. Tebbitt, His Majesty's Acting copy Consul at Newchwang, reporting on the authority of Mr. Segawa, then Japanese Consul, that the land purchased in the vicinity of the port by the Japanese Military Administra- tion was, on the cessation of the military occupation of Newchwang, transferred to the South Manchurian Railway Company.
From the inclosed two further despatches from Mr. Tebbitt it appears, however, that Mr. Segawa's statement was incorrect, or at any rate premature. Mr. Kubota, the present Japanese Consul, has informed Mr. Tebbitt that he has taken charge of the land which the Military Administration had acquired and "which is military property." He adds that the roads through the land, on the subject of which some anxiety existed in the minds of the British community, will remain open.
I have, &c. (Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
}
(No. 10.) Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Acting Consul Tebbitt to Sir J. Jordan.
Newchuang, March 1, 1907. IN continuation of my despatch No. 9, General, of the 19th February, I have the honour to inclose herewith copy of the Japanese Consul's answer on the question of the roads.
Mr. Kubota states that he has no information of any change in the administration of the property in question. I thereupon called on him and endeavoured to ascertain why his letter was at variance with Mr. Segawa's very positive statement, which corroborated my previous information from the Japanese newspaper
"Asahi," All Mr. Kubota could say was that, in his opinion, Mr. Segawa's statement was merely a personal forecast of the future.
I then told him that it was immaterial to me who would control the land as long as I had an assurance that the roads would remain public. Mr. Kubota answered that the reply from the Japanese Government ought to be in my hands in two or three weeks' time.
Mr. Kubota, who has just come from Washington, took over charge on the 12th February, and has, I presume, not yet had time to thoroughly acquaint himself with the exact position of affairs.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
R. T. TEBBITT,
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Mr. Kubota to Acting Consul Tebbitt.
His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Consulate, Newchwang, February 23, 1907.
Sir and dear Colleague,
IN reply to your note dated the 22nd instant, relative to the land between here and Niuchiat un acquired by the Military Administration, I have the honour to inform you that the land has not been transferred to the South Manchurian Railway Company, and still remains as it was. No information whatever has yet been received by this Consulate as to a change in the administration of the said property, and it is quite uncertain
[2524 r-2]