2
3. Finally, I am considering whether it would not be possible to grant a monopoly for dealing in arms and ammunition to a respectable British firm of good standing.
The wholesale import trade is in the hands of Germans, and the retail trade, as far as Chinese customers are concerned, is principally carried on by Chinese dealers.
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government. 178
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Z
O.
[September 4181
.C
Rer 95 SEP 07
I have, &c.
(Signed) F. H. MAY, Officer Administering the Government.
[30105]
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received September 9.)
(No. 348.) Sir,
Peking, July 18, 1907. THE dispute regarding the Weslyan Mission's title-deed for property at Changsha, which was dealt with in my despatches Nos. 87 and 157, has now been brought to a conclusion.
The reply of the Wai-wu Pu to my note of the 9th March still proved unsatisfactory, and there followed several interviews between Mr. C. W. Campbell, Chinese Secretary of the Legation, and the Grand Secretary Ch'ü; with the result that on the 3rd May I was able to telegraph to His Majesty's Consul that the Wai-wu Pu consented to instruct the Governor of Hunan to remove the objectionable endorsement from the deed, and the statement, that the Mission were not at liberty to resell, from his despatch, provided that the parties to the deed inserted in its wording a phrase to show that the land was the public property of the Mission. This is the usual formula in cases where property is acquired either at a Treaty port or in the interior in the name of a Missionary Association in its corporate capacity.
Owing to the absence of the head of the Mission some further delay occurred, but a new deed was made out early in June, containing words signifying that the land was mission property, and this deed was duly sealed by the authorities without further endorsement.
It then remained to obtain from the Wai-wu Pu a note in substitution of their communication of the 6th April. The disappearance of Ch'ü Hung Chi from office rendered this task casy, and on the 25th June I was able to exchange their original note for the one of which a translation is now inclosed,
I also have the honour to inclose copies of Mr. Hughes' despatch No. 17 of the 27th June reporting the issue of the new deed.
The settlement thus arrived at sets aside the original pretension of the Chinese authorities to limit the rights of the Mission to deal with the property as they may see fit, and records the fact that this particular land is corporate and not individual property.
It has been pointed out by Mr. Fraser, His Majesty's Consul-General at Hankow, that the Chinese authorities have recently argued with respect to corporate mission property in the "interior" that it can not be transferred, and that the insertion of the words "corporate property" in the Weslyan Mission's deed may stand in their way, should they desire to dispose of this land, in spite of its situation in a Treaty port.
Should such a contingency arise, the records on both sides will show that the prohibition against sale originally contained in the despatches of the Governor and the Wai-wu Pu was formally withdrawn.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
(Translation.) Sir,
Wai-wu Pu to Sir J. Jordan,
Kuang Hsü, 33:2:24 (April 6, 1907).
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your Excellency's note of the 9th March, informing me of a Report from His Britannic Majesty's Consul at Changsha that the Magistrate bad indorsed on the deeds of some property acquired by the Weslyan Mission in the city the words "This is the corporate property of the mission," and that in the covering despatch it was stated that they were not at liberty to resell it. Your Excellency observes that the right of British subjects, whether merchants or missionaries, to purchase land or houses in the city of Ch'angsha is incontestable, and requests that instructions may be sent to the Governor of Hunan to
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