[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
(
[B]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL,
[32670]
No. 1.
36
37616
16 00) 08 [September 21.]
SECTION 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--Received September 21.)
(No. 355. Confidential.) Sir,
Peking, August 4, 1908,
I HAVE the honour to report some further details respecting the Mission of his Excellency Tong Shao-yi to the United States.
His Excellency, who has now returned to Mukden to hand over charge of his post, expects to leave this early in October, and speaks of spending three or four months in America. Mr. Marvin, a young American who was recently Vice-Consul at Mukden, and who subsequently acted for a short time as a sort of press agent for Tong, is starting for Washington, where he is to make arrangements for the accommodation of the Mission and will doubtless chronicle its doings. Mr. Straight, the United States' Consul-General at Mukden, who has been closely associated with Tong and is intensely anti-Japanese in his sentiments, is also proceeding shortly to Washington, ostensibly to report upon a journey which he has just made in Manchuria, but in reality, it is believed, to offer advice upon any questions which may be discussed between the Mission and the United States' Government.
These arrangements have been made independently of Mr. Rockhill, the United States' Minister, who views them with disfavour, as he does not altogether share the somewhat pronounced views of his subordinates in Manchuria. Apart from this, the question of the use to which the unexpended indemnity money is to be applied still seems to be unsettled between Mr. Rockhill and Mr. Tong, the latter adhering to the idea of utilizing it for the purpose of contracting a loan, and having, it is said, secured the sanction of the Throne to this proposal.
Mr. Tong's present intention is to return to China via Europe, visiting England, France, Germany, and Russia. The withdrawal of the foreign garrisons in North China, the enforcement of the 8th Article of the Mackay Treaty, the engagement of European technical advisers, &c., are all mentioned as objects of the Mission, but nothing is definitely known on the subject.
Whatever the purposes of the Mission may ultimately prove to be, the strong personality of its chief, who has for over twenty years been the trusted lieutenant of his Excellency Yuan Shih-kai, and is undoubtedly the leading spirit in the progressive movement in the Empire, lends to it an interest and importance greater than that which has attached to any previous Mission from China to the West.
I have, &c. (Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
* As to the abolition of li-kin, which does not come into force until other Powers have signified their acceptance of engagements with regard to the payment of surtaxes, &c.
[1933 a-1]