[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.] 328
0.
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[40886]
(No. 513.) Sir,
1798
[December 14.]
Recr REG 17 JAN 08
No. 1.
SECTION 4.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received December 14.)
Peking, October 30, 1907. AS reported in my despatch No. 497 of the 15th October, I arranged to see Prince Ching at the Summer Palace regarding the recrudescence of local opposition against the Socchow-Hangchow-Ningpo Railway.
My interview took place on the 19th October, Yuan Shih-k'ai and Liang Ta-jên being also present.
In reply to my inquiries as to what steps the Board proposed to take to remedy the situation, his Highness said they had already memorialized the Throne on the subject of this railway, and felt confident that they would receive a satisfactory Decree. They did not feel at liberty to communicate to me the terms of their Memorial, or to forecast the lines of the Decree. I had therefore to content myself with this reply, which, I said, must be construed as an assurance that the difficulties would be removed. In conversation with Liang Ta-jên a few days later, I learnt that the Decree had been issued on the 20th October, and that he considered its terms fairly satisfactory. He furnished me with a copy on the following day, and I now have the honour to inclose a translation. It will be seen from this document that the Decree of 1905, granting permission to the provincial gentry to build the line, is cleverly set aside without any direct mention of its issue, and the Wai-wu Pu is instructed to negotiate with the British and Chinese Corporation. The complaint of the Chinese -negotiator that he was in a weaker position than the gentry, is thus overcome, and an interesting example is afforded of how an Imperial Decree can be cancelled when hecessary, by the issue of an Edict indirectly annulling its conditions. That the matter required delicate handling can be readily understood when it is recalled that Prince Ch'ing's son was responsible for obtaining the earlier Decrees in favour of the gentry.
There can be little doubt that the opposition of the gentry during the past month has been very strong. The line taken by public opinion in the provinces is well illustrated by articles in the Shanghae native papers, translations of which have been sent to me by His Majesty's Consul at Wuhu, and of which I inclose copies.* It has already come to my knowledge on excellent authority that even after the issue of the Decree of the 20th October telegrams of remonstrance continue to pour in from Shanghae, Soochow, and Hangehow denouncing Yuan Shih-k'ai and Wang Ta-hsieh for their share in the proceedings, while the latter is warned by his own family that their ancestral graves are in danger of being desecrated as an act of vengeance if the Central Government allows the Agreement to be signed. Public meetings are also being organized at Shanghae and Hangchow to protest against the "alienation of the people's rights."
It is evident, therefore, that great firmness will be necessary on the part of the Wai-wu Pu to carry out the Decree with which they are now armed. I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN,
Inclosure in No. 1.
Decree of October 20, 1907, inclosed in letter from the Council of State.
A MEMORIAL from the Wai-wu Pu represents that the affairs of the Soochow- Hangchow-Ningpo Railway have formed the subject of negotiation during several consecutive years, and that the outcome now is an offer on the part of the British and Chinese Corporation to negotiate a loan.
Good faith is the principal factor in foreign relations, and the power to enter into Agreements rests with the Imperial Government.
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