On the following day, 22nd May, I received a written protest from the Taotai saying that the German and Japanese gun-boats had returned when requested to do so by the Commander of the forts, and repeating the argument previously used that the lake was not open to navigation of foreign ships of war.
On the evening of the 22nd May I received a note from Commander Roy, dated the 22nd May, saying that he had left Hu K'ou for Wuch'êng that morning at 6:30, the Commander of the Chinese cruiser having interviewed him for an hour before he started. The Chinese Commander had now altered his order not to enter the lake into a request not to do so, as this action would get him into trouble; but Commander Roy had replied that he must obey the orders of the British Admiral. When writing he expected to reach Nan Chang on the 25th May, and after calling on the Governor, return to Kiukiang by the 29th.
The visit of the "Nightingale" to the Poyang Lake thus shows that, though the Chinese authorities have recently stationed a cruiser at the entrance, they have no present intention of interfering with the navigation of the lake by foreign ships of war otherwise than by the verbal and written protests which they have been in the habit of addressing, since the question first arose, to the officers in command of these vessels and to the foreign Consuls concerned.
I have, &c. (Signed) E. C. WERNER.
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government,
[B]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Rec
29532
U 13 AUG 08 [July 27.]
[25998]
No. 1.
SECTION 3.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received July 27.)
(No. 267. Confidential.) Sir,
Peking, June 11, 1908. IN my despatch No. 230 of the 26th May, I had the honour to report the substance of a conversation which I had with Liang Ta-jên, one of the Ministers of the Wai-wu Pu, regarding the possibility of our lending assistance in promoting an adjustment of the dispute which has arisen between Portugal and China at Macao.
The conversation was resumed at the Wai-wu Pu on the 2nd instant with Mr. Liang, who had in the meantime seen Prince Ch'ing and Yuan Shih Kai and had considerably modified his views. During the summer months, I should explain, the Court resides some distance from the city and all questions of importance have to be referred to the Prince and Ministers, who remain there in attendance upon the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.
Mr. Liang no longer regarded the question as ripe for mediation, and thought that Portugal should discuss it directly with the Wai-wu Pu before making an appeal for the good offices of Great Britain. In the event of a disagreement, China would gladly welcome our friendly intervention, but the situation at present was that the Wai-wu Pu had addressed several communications to the Portuguese Minister, to which they had received no reply. Mr. Liang charged Portugal with having made a series of encroachments since the Treaty of 1887 was concluded, and said that the conduct of the Portuguese at Macao was no credit to Western civilization. China was doing nothing which was not justified by Treaty, and she was prepared to meet any attempt which Portugal might make to challenge her position there.
I said that it was precisely with the view of averting such a contingency that I ventured to suggest the possibility of our being able to do something to promote a settlement. I was not prepared, and had not the necessary knowledge, to pronounce any opinion upon the doings of the Portuguese at Macao, but our traditional associations with Portugal and our friendly relations with China made us anxious to do anything in our power to compose the differences between the two Powers.
Mr. Liang reverted to the "Tatsu Maru" case, and gave me to understand that the Chinese Government, having dictated an unpalatable settlement of that affair, were very reluctant to hamper the Viceroy in dealing with the situation at Macao.
This, I remarked, appeared to me to involve a serious risk. The Viceroy was acting upon the information of interested people on the spot, and, if the Portuguese proceeded to do likewise, the collision so usual in such cases might easily follow.
Mr. Liang affected to minimize the importance of the dispute, and contended that the Viceroy's action had for its object merely the prevention of the contraband trade in arms.
In this he is supported by the opinion of His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, as recorded in the despatch copy of which I have the honour to transmit herewith.
The somewhat embittered tone of Mr. Liang's language, which no doubt only reflects the views of the Prince and other Ministers, left upon me the uncomfortable impression that China is not disposed to humour the susceptibilities of Portugal, and that unless advantage is taken of the Viceroy's offer embodied in the last paragraph of the Wai-wu Pu's note of the 22nd May, there is little prospect of an improvement in the situation.
I have advised the Portuguese Minister in this sense, and in the inclosed telegram which he has sent to Lisbon Baron Sendal has submitted the suggestion to his Government.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
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