C.O.
vernment61
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government)
12. 15 001 08 [June 15.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
SECTION 7.
[20525]
(No. 184.) Sir,
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received June 15.)
Peking, April 29, 1908.
IN his despatch No. 38 of the 18th instant, copy of which is inclosed herewith for your information, the Acting British Consul-General at Mukden reports the settlement of a dispute about fishing rights between China and Japan which has occasioned much correspondence between the authorities and aroused a good deal of ill-feeling in the populations concerned.
The main cause of the controversy and the consequent friction with the Chinese Government has been the attempt of the Japanese Government to make the coast of China adjoining the leased territory the scene of fishing operations on a large scale. For some time they have been endeavouring to make Dalny and the leased territory the centre of a fishing industry similar to that which they have established along the coast of Corea and that to which they have acquired a right along the coast of Eastern Siberia by reason of their Treaty with Russia.
The endeavours were resented by the Chinese provincial authorities, and led to their taking harsh action to put a stop to the proceedings.
The arrangement which has now been made aims at reconciling the opposing interests by guaranteeing certain rights to Chinese subjects residing in the leased territory, and protecting them from arbitrary imposts, while at the same time recognizing the sovereign rights of China over her own territorial waters. To this object Chinese living in the leased territory are to be allowed to fish in the territorial waters outside that territory on the same terms as other Chinese fishermen; China alone shall protect her fisheries, but shall not impose excessive taxation upon the industry nor relinquish her rights or duties in this connection by farming them out to private persons or Companies; while the Japanese Company which had been formed for the protection of the fisheries is abolished, and a promise has been given that no Company of that kind shall be established in future, thus effectually securing to China the right to control matters within the territorial waters, subject to the conditions of equality of treatment mentioned above.
The agreement does not settle the most important point of all, the question whether Japanese residing in the leased territory shall have the right to fish in territorial waters outside the limits of that territory, but provides that it shall be referred to Tang Shao-yi and the Japanese Minister, who are, I understand, at present discussing it.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
(No. 35.) Sir,
Acting Consul-General Willis to Sir J. Jordan.
Mukden, April 18, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to inclose in translation copy of a paragraph that appeared recently in the local newspaper giving the terms of settlement of the Kaiping fishery case which has been the subject of contention between the Chinese and Japanese Governments for some time past, and which was aggravated by the execution of one Kao, a Chinese subject residing in the leased territory, by the Chief of the Fengtien Fishery Bureau in June 1907.
I have been informed by the Commissioner in charge of the Foreign Office that the account as given in the newspaper is substantially correct.
I have, &c.
(Signed) ROBERT WILLIS.
[1819 p-7]