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Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Lieutenant-Commander Godfrey to Vice-Admiral Sir H. Lambton.
(onfidential.)
Sir,
· Teul," at Kiukiang, April 14, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to report that, in accordance with Confidential Memo- randum, "Movements of Lower Yang-tsze Gun-boats," dated the 16th March, 1908, I proceeded from Kiukiang to Hukou, at the entrance to the Poyang Lake, intending to proceed to Nanchang. At Hukou a signal was hoisted from the forts, “Close, I wish to communicate" (this is always done). A Chinese military officer came off requesting my reasons for wanting to go into the lake; I informed, "Commander-in-chief's orders," and that I was going to Nanchang to call on the Governor, &c. (a friendly visit). He informed me that the Viceroy had issued orders that no foreign ships were to be allowed in the lake, and wished me to wait whilst he telegraphed for permissiou. This I did not do, as the Consul at Kiukiang informed me that it was held by all nationalities as a right to go into the lake, especially as there is a British firm (Messrs. Butterfield and Swire) who run a steamer twice a-week between Nanchang and Kiukiang, and also there are British subjects at Nanchang, Wuching, and Nankang (nearly all China inland missionaries). The German gun-boat "Tiger" was turned back about a month ago at the entrance of the lake.
There was a Chinese river gun-boat, " Kiang Guan,” of 600 tons displacement, at the entrance, who also sent an officer of the guard and informed me the Governor had given orders that foreign men-of-war were not allowed in the lake.
This case, and the German gun-boat "Tiger," are the first two occasions ou which ships have actually been stopped. Only protests have been made by the Chinese previously.
In accordance with C.S.O., Article 377, I made a formal protest, and informed both officers I should report the matter to my Commander-in-chief, and, as His Majesty's Minister at Peking is due at Kiukiang on the 16th April, I should report the matter to him to get the question settled once and for all.
I have, &c. (Signed)
Sir,
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
II. R. GODFREY.
Sir J. Jordan to Vice-Admiral Sir H. Lambton.
Peking, May 7, 1908. WITH reference to your Excellency's letters of the 18th and 30th April, I have the honour to inclose, for your information, copies of correspondence which has passed between the Foreign Office, Wai-wu Pu, and this Legation on the subject of the navigation of the Poyang Lake by His Majesty's ships of war.*
The question first arose in the summer of 1903, when a correspondence took place between the Taotai of Kiukiang and His Majesty's Acting Consul, Mr. Higgs. In this the Taotai held, under instructions from the Governor of Kiangsi, that foreign ships of war are by Treaty permitted to visit Treaty ports only, and requested that stringent orders should be issued forbidding war-ships from navigating the Poyang Lake. Mr. Higgs replied, quoting Article 52 of the Tien-tsin Treaty, which he held meant that British ships of war were at liberty to visit any port whatever; and afterwards he paid a visit to the lake on board His Majesty's ship Teal," of which he gave a verbal notice to the Taotai beforehand. The latter wrote the next day to say that as it was a question of a personal visit to the Governor at Nanchang, he would not feel justified in placing difficulties in the way, but expressed a hope that if the Governor requested that gunnery practice should not be carried out in the lake on the return journey, as rumour said would be done, the Commanding Officer would desist Mr. Higgs replied that in no case would such practice he carried out inconsiderately.
* Wai-wu Pa, July 18; to ditto, August 18; to Foreign Office, August 24, 1904; Foreign Office, July 10; to ditto, October 19; to ditto, October 25, 1905.
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In 1904 the question arose again, in connection with the gunnery practice of His Majesty's ship "Tweed" in the Poyang Lake. The notes exchanged between the Wai-wu Pu and Sir Ernest Satow on the 13th July and the 18th August, 1904, copies of which are inclosed, explain sufficiently the nature of the Chinese objections and of Sir Ernest Satow's replies. In a despatch of the 24th August, 1904 (copy inclosed), Sir Ernest Satow requested the instructions of His Majesty's Secretary of State, and in a reply of the 10th July, 1905 (copy inclosed), Lord Lansdowne concurred in a recommendation that the Commander-in-Chief on the China Station should be authorized to send gun-boats to the Poyang Lake in order to maintain the right of British vessels to navigate its waters, but stated at the same time that, in view of all the circumstances, it would not be politic to insist on carrying out target practice on the lake against the wishes of the local authorities.
In April and May 1905 four of His Majesty's ships cruised in the lake, and practically no objection was raised by the local officials to the presence of the gun- boats; and, in a despatch of the 21st April, Mr. Sandius reported that, as far as the Nanking Viceroy was concerned, the incident might be considered closed, his Excellency having withdrawn all objections to ships of war visiting the lake, provided that they abstained from gun practice; but in October the Wai-wu Pu wrote to Sir Ernest Satow objecting again to British men-of-war navigating the lake, and Sir Ernest replied reasserting the right to do so under Treaty, and stating that the Commander-in-chief had been instructed by His Majesty's Government to maintain that right. The correspondence was sent to the Foreign Office in despatches of the 19th and 25th October, 1905 (copies of which are inclosed), and by a despatch of the 23rd December, 1905, Sir Edward Grey instructed His Majesty's Minister to inform the Chinese Government that His Majesty's Government intended to adhere to their interpretation of Article 52 of the Treaty of Tien-tsin, and to their right to navigate the Poyang Lake. This decision of His Majesty's Government was communicated to the Wai-wu Pu in a note of the 20th February, 1908, to which no answer was returned.
It is clear from the foregoing that your Excellency is authorized by His Majesty's Government to send gun-boats to the Poyang Lake in order to maintain the right of navigation, and that the movements of such gun-boats should not be affected by the protests of the local Chinese authorities. I do not gather from the Report of the Commanding Officer of His Majesty's ship "Teal," in the present instance, that any more than a verbal interference was offered by the Chinese authorities at IIukou, but in view of the fact that the movements of the “
'Teal " were influenced by that interference, it seems to me desirable that, before one of His Majesty's ships again proceeds to the Poyang Lake, a verbal intimation of the proposed visit should be given to the Taotai through His Majesty's Consul at Kiukiang.
I have, &c. (Signed)
J. N. JORDAN,
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