[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.] 401
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
(19875]
No. 1.
[June 17.4463
SECTION 5.
PG 11 JUL 07
(No. 191.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey,—(Received June 17.)
Peking, April 24, 1907. WITH reference to my despatch No. 182 of the 16th instant, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a letter from the Wai-wu Pu in which they inform me that telegraphic instructions were sent to the Chinese Minister in London on the 18th instant to sign and seal the bonds of the Canton-Kowloon Railway loan. In accordance with the terms of paragraph 4 of Article 1 of the Agreement, the Minister is empowered to inscribe on each of the bonds its value in such amounts as may be determined in consultation with the British and Chinese Corporation.
I had the honour to embody the substance of the above communication in my telegram No. 66 of yesterday's date.
Mr. Wu Ting Fang, formerly Minister to the United States, and more recently a Minister of the Wai-wu Pu, has been empowered by Imperial Decree to act in concert with the British and Chinese Corporation in making the necessary arrange- ments connected with the railway. A copy of the letter from the Board of Com- munications in which this appointment is notified to the agent of the Corporation is inclosed herewith.
I have, &c. (Signed)
(Translation.) Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Wai-wu Pu to Sir J. Jordan.
J. N. JORDAN.
Peking, Kuang Hsü, 33rd year, 3rd month, 11th day (April 23, 1907).
WE recently received a despatch from the Board of Communications informing us of the receipt by that Department of a letter from Mr. Bland, representative of the British and Chinese Corporation, respecting the Canton-Kowloon Railway loan, which, he announced, they proposed to issue at the price agreed upon, viz., 94 per cent. Mr. Bland asked that the Chinese Minister in London might be instructed at once by telegraph to take the requisite action without delay, and the Board of Communications accordingly requested this Board to telegraph to Wang Tachên, our Minister in England, to sign and seal the bonds
This Board thereupon telegraphed on the 18th April to Wang Tachên in London to inscribe on each of the bonds the value thereof in such amounts as might be decided in consultation with the Corporation, and to sign them without delay,
We have the honour to acquaint your Excellency with these steps, and to request that Mr. Bland may be informed.
Sir,
We avail, &c.
(Prince Ch'ing and Ministers of Wai-wu Pu.)
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Board of Communications to Mr. Bland.
April 19, 1907. ON the 5th April the Grand Council communicated to us the telegraphic Memorial to the Throne of the Governor-General at Canton, his Excellency Chou, asking that Mr. Wu Ting Fang should be appointed to devise the necessary arrange. ments in respect to the Canton-Kowloon Railway. Upon this an Edict was issued in the following ternis :------
"Chou Fu has requested that Wu Ting Fang be appointed to devise the necessary arrangements in respect to the Canton-Kowloon Railway. Let it be so."
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