27
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
(2150)
C.O. 12195
[January 17.]
SECTION 1.
Rece
REG 4PR OC
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received January 17.)
(No. 27.) (Telegraphic.) P. MACAO,
Peking, January 17, 1909.
I have communicated to the Chinese Government the Portuguese proposal, of which you informed me in your telegram No. 13 of the 14th instant. The Viceroy at Canton is being informed, and I am told that every effort will be made on the Chinese side to remove all obstacles in the path of the proposed Commission by the withdrawal of the military posts.
The Chinese Government, however, are anxious that His Majesty's Government should understand that the Viceroy is faced by strong popular excitement at Canton consequent on the aggressive action of the Macao authorities, and they would be grateful if you would use your influence with the Government at Lisbon with a view to checking the activity of the local Portuguese authorities in that direction pending the appointment of the Commission. According to the Viceroy's telegrams which arrive in Peking daily, the Macao authorities continue to levy taxes and to compel the Chinese living in the disputed zone to sign documents whose purport is unknown to them. They are stated to be contemplating dredging operations within the disputed waters, in anticipation of which a Portuguese man-of-war is reported to be at present engaged on a survey. The Viceroy is especially perturbed at the news sent him by the Chinese Representative at Lisbon to the effect that two cruisers have received orders to sail for Macao waters, one of them being indeed reported to be on its way.
The Chinese Minister in London has been instructed to interview you on the matter, and has been fully informed by telegraph of his Government's views.
(Confidential.)
The conduct of these negotiations here is rendered difficult by the fact that we have no direct channel of communication with Macao, without which it is impossible to accept responsibility. The Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires is not a diplomatic officer in the proper sense of the word, confining himself to transmitting his Government's notes to the Wai-wu Pu and vice versa, nor is he in close touch with the Chinese officials.
For these reasons the dispatch to Macao of a Consular officer from Canton would, I suggest, be of great assistance to me, were the Portuguese Government to agree to such a step, for, with the co-operation of the Government of Hong Kong, he would be able to ascertain the facts on the spot and forward them direct to this Legation.
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