[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[14398]
C.O.
15433
[April 17.]
PEOP
SECTION 2.
(FG 7 MAY 08
No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Wilton to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received April 17.)
(No. 5. Confidential.)
Sir,
Yünnan-fu, February 27, 1909.
I HAVE the honour to forward herewith a copy of my despatch No. 7, Confidential, of the 25th February, addressed to His Majesty's Minister at Peking, reporting the departure of Kao-erh-ch'ien, Administrator of Foreign Affairs for the Province of Yunnan.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
E. C. WILTON.
Inclosure in No. 1.
}
Acting Consul-General Wilton to Sir J. Jordan,
(No. 7. Confidential.)
Sir,
Yunnan-fu, February 25, 1909. I HAVE the honour to report that Kao-erh-ch'ien, Administrator of Foreign Affairs for the Province of Yunnan, handed over charge to the Provincial Judge on the 15th instant, and left to-day for Hong Kong via Tongking. He has been appointed Chinese Commissioner on the Macão Commission to be held at Hong Kong on an early date.
Mr. Kao paid me a farewell visit on the 22nd February, and introduced the topic of the downfall of Yuan Shih Kai. The downfall would appear to be complete, otherwise so astute a man as Mr. Kao would hardly have expressed himself so openly as he did. He exulted over the disgrace of Yuan Shib Kai and hinted mysteriously that I would share his opinion. I said that Chinese politics at Peking were beyond my knowledge. Mr. Kao then inveigled against the British press, especially the "Times," for having sided with Yuan Shih Kai. I replied that I had not seen the newspaper articles to which he alluded, but I believed I was correct in stating that the Chinese press of Shanghae had ascribed the downfall of Yuan Shih Kai to the fact of his being Chinese rather than Manchu. I asked Mr. Kao if he thought this view correct. Mr. Kao, who appeared to be excited at the prospect of leaving Yunnan-fu, scorned such a suggestion. Yuan Shih Kai, he declared, had betrayed the Emperor in 1898, and was a man who cared only for his private ends and nothing for the public welfare.
In my Intelligence Report for the period ended the 31st December last, I reported that Kao-erh-ch'ien was a protégé of Ts'en-ch'un-hsuan. He is an able mau, clever and crafty. Utterly unscrupulous and bitterly anti-foreign at heart, he conceals his hatred under an appearance of frankness and friendliness, Mr. Kao, who took up his post at Yunnan-fu on the 25th September last, tells me that he is still gazetted as Administrator of Foreign Affairs for Yunnan, but he gave me to understand that he would not return. My experience of Kao-erb-ch'ien at Chengtu, 1902-3, bas taught me to be wary of him during our intercourse in Yünnan.
I have, &c. (Signed) E. C. WILTON.
J
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