[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[42349]
No. 1.
[December 28.]
SECTION 3.
£
(No. 527.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received December 25.)
Peking, November 10, 1907. THE despatch, with its inclosures, from His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton which I have the honour to forward herewith will show the steps which Mr. Mansfield has taken to procure some satisfaction from the Viceroy for the piracy of the steam-ship "Sainam" and the series of similar outrages which have taken place there during the past few months.
The question has been continuously pressed upon the attention of the Wai-wu Pu during the interval which has elapsed since the date of my last Report.
On the 30th October I addressed them a note (copy inclosed) regarding the "Ying Fat" case, in which I contented myself with reciting the bare facts, and stating that I would leave it to His Majesty's Government and the Naval Commander-in-chief to decide what action should be taken, in face of these recurring incidents, to secure the safety of British shipping in Canton waters.
On the following day I addressed them a further note (copy likewise inclosed), in which I conveyed to them the views of His Majesty's Government as contained in your telegram No. 112 of the 30th October. This last communication made a very marked impression upon the Board, for one of the Ministers came almost immediately afterwards to see me, and expressed on behalf of his colleagues their deep concern at the serious vew of the situation taken by His Majesty's Government. He explained the efforts which the Board was making to secure the co-operation of the Viceroy in introducing the scheme for the employment of Customs cruisers, but admitted that the local Government was still showing considerable opposition to the measure.
On the 5th instant I received from the Wai-wu Pu the note, copy of which I have the honour to transmit herewith. This is the first written acknowledgment I have had of all my various communications on the subject, and confirms to a large extent the verbal assurances which I have received from time to time, and which I have had the honour to report to you.
On two points, however, it did not seem to me to be sufficiently explicit. It implied, but did not actually state, that the Viceroy had at last accepted the Customs scheme, and it ignored the question of compensation.
In my reply of the 9th instant, copy of which I have the honour to inclose, I asked to be definitely informed whether my assumption that the provincial authorities had accepted the principle of Customs control was correct, and made use of the Viceroy's admission that he had found the police force of the province in a very inefficient condition as an argument in favour of the claim for the compensation of the losses which had been occasioned by the negligence of his predecessors.
There can, I think, be little doubt that the Central Government has at last awakened to the danger of further delay, and is making genuine efforts to impress its views upon the Canton Government. There is therefore room to hope that the approaching visit of the Admiral to Canton may enable His Majesty's Consul-General to press with success for the immediate enforcement of the Customs scheme.
I am forwarding copies of this despatch to his Excellency the Admiral and His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
November 12, 1907. P.S.---Since the above was written I have received a Memo- randum from the Wai-wu Pu on the subject, copies of which, as also of my reply, are inclosed herewith.
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J. N. J.
B
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