2
But it was not sufficient to add to this calculation the 8,000,000 dollars required by M. de Rijke and ask the Chinese Government to supply the difference. It was necessary that we should have a complete financial plan to present to them, and we could not draw one up until we knew such essential details as the dates upon which the extra sums would be required, the amount which it was estimated would probably be necessary for conservancy work after the period of five years, during which period M. de Rijke hopes to complete his present scheme, the funds available from 1911 for the repayment of the loan of 4,500,000 taels, &c.
The diplomatic body approved of my views and authorised the dean to write to the senior consul at Shanghae for a statement in this sense.
M. de Carcer accordingly submitted a draft letter, copy of which I have the honour to inclose. Although it appeared to me that this letter did not explain sufficiently what was required, I lare not pointed this out, but have written a despatch to Sir Pelham Warren, copy of whiel is also inclosed, in which I have asked him to see M. de Rijke and set forth the exact position and the nature of the financial plan which is desired.
The manager of the Hong Kong and Shanghae Bank at Shanghae has written the inclosed letter to Mr. Hillier, which that gentleman has kindly communicated to me. I have written privately to Sir Pelham Warren, authorising him to discuss the proposals therein contained with Mr. Hunter, and I hope, at the next meeting of the diplomatic body, to be able to make some definite proposal for a loan on this basis for the acceptance of my colleagues and presentation to the Chinese Government.
Copy of a despatch from Sir Pelham Warren, transmitting a report by M. de Rijke on the urgent necessity of closing the ship channel, is also inclosed for your informa tion.*
I have, &c.
M. le Doyen,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
M. von Mutius to Doyen of Diplomatic Body.
J. N. JORDAN,
Pékin, le 14 juin, 1909. ME référant à la circulaire No. 88, concernant la correction du Whangpoo, je me permets, par ordre de mon chef, d'attirer l'attention du corps diplomatique sur les inquiétudes qui se sont prononcées parmi les commerçants de Shanghaï et dans le corps consulaire au sujet de l'œuvre entreprise par M. de Rijke.
le Une grande somme a été dépensée pendant les dernières années sans que résultat obtenu soit de nature à rassurer complètement sur l'efficacité de l'œuvre de M. de Rijke.
Il me semble sous ce rapport très significatif que la Chambre internationale de Commerce à Shanghai, tout en exprimant sa confiance en M. de Rijke, s'est décidée à faire des démarches pour une revision du projet Rijke par une autorité technique indépendante.
D'autre part, le corps consulaire de Shaughaï a résolu dans la session du 11 mai, par une majorité de 8 contre 3 voix, d'exprimer vis-à-vis du Conservancy Board le désir que le "ship channel," qui sert actuellement de communication entré Shanghai et la mer, ne soit détérioré sauf sous garanties que le "junk channel," qui, d'après le projet Rijke, lui sera substitué, soit mis en état de le remplacer complètement.
Bien que cette résolution ait été annulée par une autre majorité dans la session du 25 mai, elle peut servir de document pour les appréhensions d'une minorité considér. able du corps consulaire de Shanghai.
Il me semble indiqué que le corps diplomatique au moment d'approcher le Gouvernement chinois pour obtenir de nouveaux moyens devrait tenir compte de la situation susmentionnée. Je me permets done de mettre en discussion, s'il ne serait pas utile d'exprimer dans la réponse à donner au corps consulaire de Shanghai que corps diplomatique considère comme désirable:-
le
(1.) Une revision du projet Rijke par une autorité technique indépendante. (2.) Conservation du "ship channel" dans son état actuel jusqu'au moment où la somme nécessaire l'achèvement des travaux sera assurée.
Veuillez, &c.
pour
* Not printed.
G. VON MUTIUS.
3
Remarks on above by Sir J. Jordan.
I REGRET that I cannot concur in the proposal made by M. Mutius on behalf of his Excellency the German Minister.
British shipping and commercial interests generally are, so far as my information goes, quite satisfied with the progress of the conservancy work, and have full confidence in the ultimate success of M. de Rijke's scheme. The Shanghae Chamber of Commerce seems to share these views, as they state that their object in taking the steps to which M. Mutius refers "is not due to any want of confidence in the carrying out of his scheme by M. de Rijke, but rather that the good work done by him may be confirmed by a competent expert."
I do not see, therefore, the necessity for adopting the first suggestion made by M. Mutius, and, as regards the second one, I venture to think that the diplomatic body are scarcely in a position to issue instructions respecting the technical execution of the work.
J. N. JORDAN,
31. le Consul Général,
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
M. de Carcer to M. Siffert.
LE corps diplomatique, à qui j'ai soumis votre lettre du 27 avril écoulé, après avoir considéré la demande de 8,089,765 dollars pour l'achèvement des travaux à faire dans le Whangpoo, me charge de vous dire qu'avant de présenter une telle demande au Gouvernement chinois, il désire être en possession d'un plan financier détaillant la façon dont le Conservancy Board veut recevoir cette somme, beaucoup trop considér able pour la demander d'une seule fois, c'est-à-dire, dans combien d'annuités et leur montant, afin que le corps diplomatique puisse le faire savoir au Wai-wou-Pou.
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Veuillez, &c.
DE CARCER.
Sir J. Jordan to Consul-General Sir P. Warren.
(No. 48. Confidential.) Sir,
Peking, July 18, 1909. THE question of the conservancy of the Whangpoo was discussed at the last meeting of the foreign representatives held on the 9th instant, M. de Mutius, in the name of the German Minister, withdrew the proposal that the plans of M. de Rijke should be submitted to the examination of experts, and there therefore only remains the question of the provision of funds for the work contemplated. In this connection I pointed out that it was not sufficient merely to ask the Chinese Government to supply the lump sum mentioned by M. de Rijke, namely, 8,000,000 dollars odd. The financial situation of the Conservancy Board was not quite clear to me, and I did not yet understand, from the statements of the receipts and expenditure which I had received, how the money was to be raised, at what dates it would be required, and how provision was to be made for the repayment, not only of the loan, which presumably would have to be contracted, but also of that of 4,500,000 taels, repayment of which begins in 1911.
Yet it was absolutely necessary that these details should be known before we could approach the Chinese Government, and that we should be in a position, not merely to ask for a particular sum, but to present to them a regular financial scheme, indicating the dates on which the money would be required, and suggesting, if possible, the manner in which it might be raised
The foreign representatives approved my views, and the dean of the consular body in Shanghae will shortly receive a vote asking for information from the dean of the diplomatic body here. I have, however, seen a copy of this draft note and I do not think that it contains a sufficient indication of what is required. It would there- fore be an advantage if you could inform M. de Rijke of what is really wanted,
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