[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
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of the haste with which the negotiations have been concluded, and are likely to counsel more deliberation in the negotiations of the detailed agreement; the brake would appear to have already been applied. Should, however, the detailed agreement be sanctioned by the Emperor on the lines of the preliminary one, very energetic protests on the part of the Japanese Government and people may be expected.
I have sent a copy of this despatch by safe messenger to Peking.
I have, &c.
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
CLAUDE M. MACDONALD.
[November 22.
SECTION 3.
That 9 DEC 09
[42744]
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey-Rece.red November 22.)
¡No. 400.) Sir,
Peking, November 2, 1909. AT my interview of the 26th ultimo with the Grand Secretary Na-t'ung and his Excellency Liang Tun-yen, to which reference has been made in previous despatches, I again pressed the question of the Bhamo-Tengyueh Railway.
I repeated all the arguments used on previous occasions in favour of the project, and pointed out that while the French railway from Tonquin would soon reach Yünnan-fu, Burmah was practically cut off from all means of communication with Yunnan. Apart from our treaty rights we were bound, in the interests of our trade, to find a remedy for this state of things, and the solution we had proposed to the Chinese Government was one which in no way derogated from their sovereign rights.
The Grand Secretary, while expressing appreciation of our attitude, said that the question would be fully considered as soon as the new Viceroy reached his post. His movements had been delayed by reasous of health, but in a very short time he hoped that his Excellency Li Chinghsi would be in a position to study the problem on the spot, and give the Central Government the benefit of his advice.
I am sending a copy of this despatch to his Excellency the Viceroy of India.
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
[2486 y-3]
Ture