This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.)
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
10573 [February 21.]
IR: 25 MAR 08
SECTION 2.
[6070]
Sir,
No. 1.
Chinese Engineering and Mining Company to Foreign Office.—(Received February 21.) 22, Austin Friars, London, February 20, 1908. OCCUPATION of land at Ching Wang Tao by the French.
With reference to your letter of the 29th ultimo, informing me that the French Government consider that further negotiations should take place at Peking, where the French Legation are authorized to negotiate on the basis of the Memorandum communicated to Sir F. Bertie on the 4th July last, and that the matter has now been referred by Sir Edward Grey to His Majesty's Minister at Peking, who has been requested to report whether he considers that there is any prospect of arriving at a settlement by negotiations at Peking, I am instructed by my Board to say that they do not see any probability of an arrangement being effected in Peking if the negotiations are to be limited by the Memorandum in question. They desire, therefore, to suggest that the French Government should be requested to leave the matter entirely in the hands of the French Legation, and in that case my Board will be prepared to leave the Company's case in the hands of His Majesty's Minister at Peking.
Major Nathan, the Company's Agent and General Manager, is now on his way to China, and my Directors consider that the question at issue might be brought to a conclusion in the manner suggested.
I am, &c.
The Chinese Engineering and Mining Company (Limited),
(Signed) ALFRED W. BERRY, Secretary.
[2846 x-2]
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