[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government ]
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[May 11.
6 JUN OR
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SECTION 3.
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AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[16098]
No. 1.
(No. 84.) Sir,
Tokió, April 14, 1908.
Sir C. MacDonald to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received May 11.)
I RECEIVED a telegram on the evening of the 11th instant from the Governor at Hong Kong on the subject of the boycott of Japanese goods to the following effect:-
"I am endeavouring to dissuade the Chinese in Hong Kong from taking part in the Japanese boycott. Considerable sympathy is, however, being shown, though no action calling for interference. Please keep me informed of any developments.'
I instructed Mr. Clive to call at the Foreign Office and see Mr. Ishii, Head of the Commercial Bureau, taking with him a paraphrase of Sir F. Lugard's telegram. Mr. Ishii expressed great gratification at the friendly action of the Governor as shown by his Excellency's telegram, and said he was sure it would be much appreciated by his Government. He stated that up to the present time the boycott had not been considered very serious, though the latest reports they had received from their Consuls in Canton and Hong Kong were more pessimistic. The articles most affected so far by the boycott were the various marine products—fish, seaweed, &c.—which are exported from the Hokkaido to South China, and which amount to a considerable trade. However, it is expected that the boycott of these articles will not be of long duration, as they are things for which there is a large demand in South China, and which the Chinese are unable to purchase elsewhere.
Shipping, too, was now beginning to suffer somewhat—and this was really a more serious aspect of the case—Chinese agents in Japanese ports having been requested to ship nothing in Japanese bottoms which they could send by other steam-ship lines. The Japanese Company most affected was the Nippon Yusen Kwaisha. Other shipping, however, was in danger of being hit, as a telegram from Hong Kong to the "Tokio Asahi" was confirmed by Mr. Ishii, that Chinese merchants in Japan had been advised to load no cargo for Hong Kong which would be due to arrive after the 31st March (Chinese calendar), as it would not be received.
If, however, the Hong Kong merchants could be dissuaded from pursuing the boycott, said Mr. Ishii, the back of the movement would be broken. The Japanese Government were convinced the Peking Government were in earnest in their endeavour to check it.
The action of the Governor at Hong Kong was all the more gratifying, therefore, as the Japanese Government had been at a loss how to counteract the movement now that it had spread to Hong Kong, and was outside the jurisdiction of the Chinese Government. He trusted that his Excellency would continue to lend his good offices in suppressing it.
I have informed Sir F. Lugard of this by telegram, and am forwarding him a copy of this despatch.
I have, &c. (Signed) CLAUDE M. MACDONALD.
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