[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
93
ment 55 Rece
Rre 28 JAN 10
[December 28.]
SECTION 4,
[45781]
(No. 204.)
No. 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Sir J. Jordan,
(Telegraphic.) P.
Foreign Office, December 28, 1909. UNITED STATES proposal for internationalisation of Manchurian Railways. Please see my telegram No. 46 of the 23rd December to Sir C. MacDonald and the latter's telegram No. 79 of the 25th December.
On the 9th November, when the United States Embassy first communicated the above proposal, His Majesty's Government replied that the general principle involved in the scheme seemed to them calculated to secure to China full control in Manchuria. In so far also as it tended to preserve the policy of equal commercial opportunity and of the open door in Manchuria, it certainly commended itself to their support. They were, however, of opinion that it would be undesirable to embark on the question of another international railway loan in China before the Huknang negotiations had been brought to a successful termination, and suggested that, for the moment, the object wished for would be better served if the two Governments were to make joint representations at Peking with a view to inducing the Chinese Government to allow the Japanese a share in the Chinchow-Aigun Railway. In answer to this, the United States Embassy stated on the 16th December that their Government were quite ready as a preliminary step to join in endeavouring to persuade the Chinese Government to admit the participation of Japan and other interested Powers in the Chinchow-Aigun Railway. They were, however, of opinion that the American proposals should without delay be submitted to the Governments of the other interested Powers, in order to secure their support of the principle implied in the scheme, and they would instruct their representatives in Paris, Berlin, St. Petersburgh, Tokyo, and Peking in this sense. My reply to this note has been sent to-day, and is to the effect that His Majesty's Government would attach interest to learning in what light the American scheme is viewed by the other Powers concerned, and especially by Russia and Japan. As regards Japanese participation in the Chinchow-Aigun Railway, I said that I had approached the Japanese Ambassador in London as to the extent of participation which Japanese would require, and that you had been authorised to join your American colleague in urging the Chinese Government to agree to the association of the Japanese in the scheme.
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