CO129-352 - Public Offices - 1908

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

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25671

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LAN ANTO

CHINA RAILWAYS.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[22962]

No. 1.

Sir Edward Grey to Mr. Bryce,

68

[July 16 JUL 08]

SECTION 2.

(No. 195.) Sir,

Foreign Office, July 1, 1908.

THE United States' Ambassador read to me confidentially on the 24th ultimo further communications from Mr. Root about the situation at Harbin.

They included a protest from the Russian Government against the attitude of the United States' Consul, and other statements on behalf of the Russian Government tending to show that they interpreted their railway rights as conferring territorial sovereignty and jurisdiction in Manchuria.

The United States' Consul had said that no American subject was to pay taxes imposed by a municipal authority which was the creation of the Railway Administration. American subjects would not recognize any municipal authority unless it was constituted in the same way as those in other open towns in China.

The point of the American Ambassador's communication to me was that, as we had no Consul at Harbin, the Russians would claim to exercise jurisdiction over British subjects there. Mr. Root was therefore very anxious that we should appoint a Consul at once.

I told the Ambassador that I was already inquiring whether British interests justified the appointment of a Consul. But I did not even know whether there were any British subjects in Harbin. I was not yet aware that the Russian Government had claimed jurisdiction over any of our people; and it did not follow that we should admit any such claim, even if we had no Consul.

I should be quite firm in supporting the policy of the "open door" in China. But, at the present moment, when we had very critical matters connected with Persia to discuss daily with the Russian Government, it would make a very undesirable complication if I were to take up actively a matter which was as yet only one of academic controversy between us. Of course, if the Russian Government did claim jurisdiction over a British subject, that would be a different matter, which I should have to take up at once.

I would, however, tell Count Benckendorff what had passed on the subject.

[1841 a-2]

I am, &c.

(Signed)

E. GREY.

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