This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[14950]
No. 1.
[May 2.]
SECTION 2.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received May 2.)
(No. 126.) Sir,
Peking, March 16, 1908.
WITH reference to my despatch No. 97 of the 2nd March, I have the honour to inclose copies of two despatches received from His Majesty's Consul-General at Mukden, reporting on Agreements which were concluded on the 30th August, 1907, between the Chinese authorities and the Chinese Eastern Railway Company for the acquisition by the latter of land along the whole of the route of the railway in Manchurian territory, exclusive of Harbin.
Between the Siberian frontier, at the station Manchuria, and Harbin the Railway Company are given the right to acquire a total area of not exceeding 126,000 shang, or 108,000 acres approximately; and between Harbin and Pogranichnaya a limit of 50,000 shang, or 43,000 acres, is fixed. It is important to note that the Railway Company claim the same administrative rights in this 150,000 acres of land as those which they have advanced in the case of Harbin.
I also inclose copy of a further despatch from His Majesty's Consul-General at Mukden, forwarding a translation from the Chinese of an Agreement for the working of coal mines in Hei-lung-chiang Province, within a limit of 30 li on either side of the railway, also concluded on the 30th August, 1907, by the Chinese Eastern Railway Company with the Chinese authorities. Mr. Willis mentions that a similar Agreement relating to coal-mining rights in the Province of Kirin was signed on or about the same date,
These mining rights were, I understand, the subject of prolonged negotiation between the Chinese authorities and the late Russian Minister, and were largely based upon vested interests acquired by the Russian Government and Russian subjects prior to the Russo-Japanese war.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Willis to Sir J. Jordan.
(No. 23. Confidential.)
Sir,
Mukden, March 7, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to inclose in translation copy of an Agreement, which I have obtained from a confidential source, that has recently been made between the Chinese Government and the Chinese Eastern Railway Company for the acquisition of land by the latter in Hei-lung-chiang Province.
The Railway Company have under this Agreement the right of purchasing land up to a total of 126,000 shang, between the stations of Manchuria and Harbin. This total works out approximately at 108,000 acres, or nearly 170 square miles.
The Harbin Settlement is not included in this area.
It would seem that under clause 2 of the Agreement the Railway Company may claim the same administrative rights in this newly acquired territory as they have already advanced in the Harbin Settlement.
The Chinese text of the Agreement will be forwarded in a few days.
I have, &c. (Signed) ROBERT WILLIS.
[2960 b--2]