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C.O.
9564
This Bocument is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.j 621
TRECE
REGP18 MAR 09
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[1966]
No. 1.
January 15.]
SECTION 1.
Sir C. MacDonald to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received January 15.)
Tokió, January 14, 1909.
(No. 5.) (Telegraphic.) P.
DISMISSAL of Yuan-shih-kai. Please refer to Sir John Jordan's telegram No. 20 to Foreign Office of the 11th instant.
At an interview yesterday with Count Komura I referred to a telegram from Renter to the effect that Dr. Morrison had wired to the "Times" that the Manchurian negotiations with China of both Japan and Russia would be facilitated by the dismissal of Yuan and Tong, and that the two Powers mentioned would consequently welcome their dismissal.
of
In reply to my inquiry whether he had noticed the telegram above mentioned, he said that he had seen it, but that the statement was absolutely untrue so far as Japan was concerned. Any political disturbances in Peking were, he added, always a canse grave anxiety to the Japanese Government, for in the present economic and financial state of Japan it was absolutely essential to her existence as a nation that peace should be maintained in the Far East. He went on to say that when the death of the Emperor occurred he had instructed Mr. Ijuin to take every opportunity to advise a peaceful settlement of the succession: this advice was to be given informally, but in the name of the Japanese Government. Yuan's dismissal, coming when it did, was a great surprise to the Japanese Government, and when it occurred Mr. Ijuin was instructed to obtain assurances that no extensive dismissal of Yuan's protégés should take place, and that no harm should come to Yuan personally.
The rights recovery policy, Count Komura went on to say, he personally thought that China was not ready for, and undoubtedly the Japanese negotiations with China had been delayed thereby; but he preferred Ynan and Tong to many others as negotiators, because both were essentially men of business and possessed of common sense though wedded to that policy. Some very important questions had been successfully settled with them, and he had looked forward to all outstanding matters being disposed of when the present crisis occurred.
The following is confidential:-
I think the Japanese Government are too clever to engage in an intrigue such as is attributed to them by Liang, and I share Sir John Jordan's incredulity in the latter's
statement.
This telegram has been repeated to Peking.
[2116 p-1]
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