(This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Covernment.]
1798
Rovember 6.1 TREE 17 JAN DOj
SECTION 2.
325
[36699]
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received November 6.)
(No. 187.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Peking, November 6, 1907. WITH reference to my telegram No. 179 of the 16th ultimo, I have the honour to inform you that the Soochow-Ningpo negotiations were placed on a satisfactory basis by a Decree issued at my instance on the 20th ultimo which practically cancelled the Edict of September 1905, and have since that date proceeded pari passu with the Tien-tsin-Yang-tsze negotiations. The draft Agreement of the latter was initialled on the 2nd instant by the negotiators, and yesterday afternoon the draft Agreement for the Soochow-Ningpo line was to have been similarly initialled, but at the last moment the Chinese negotiator suggested the redemption of the Agreement as an alternative solution and declined to attach his signature.
Just before the above came to my knowledge I saw Yuan Shih-k'ai, who indicated the helplessness of the Central Government in the face of the violent opposition in Chekiang, informing me that news had been received of the desecration of the ancestral graves of Wang, the late negotiator.
I am under the impression that Prince Ching and Chang Chih-tung, who will not risk a collision with the province, have proved too strong for Yuan, to whose influence the issue of the last Decree was probably due.
I have asked Prince Ching for an interview, but it may be delayed by Palace ceremonies.
{2723 f-2]