[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
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3. With regard to the question of jurisdiction, His Majesty's Government have learnt with satisfaction from a report recently received from His Majesty's Minister at Peking that the terms of the "note of promise" which foreigners wishing to lease land at Harbin or elsewhere in the railway area have to sign have now been so modified that all disputes resulting from the agreement will be subject to the consideration of their nearest consular representatives.
As, however, the Russian and Chinese authorities undertook by the preliminary agreement of May last to draw up detailed municipal regulations, and His Majesty's Government are awaiting, as stated in their memorandum of the 22nd October last, the conclusion of the negotiations pending between the Imperial Government and China before coming to a decision on the question, they consider it advisable to defer formal consideration of the "note of promise" for the present.
With the view, however, of meeting the exigencies of the situation as far as possible, British consular officers have been authorised to witness the signature of any British subject who may subscribe to the note on the understanding that this formality does not in any way commit His Majesty's Government to an approval of the terms of the note.
4. In submitting these explanations of the attitude and action of His Majesty's Government as above described, His Majesty's Embassy is instructed to make it quite clear to the Imperial Government that His Majesty's Government are animated by a sincere desire of arriving at an early settlement of the question.
5. His Majesty's Embassy would wish to add that it has not alluded to the circular note of the Wai-wu Pu in regard to the position of the Chinese Government in the matter, although the contentions of that Government carry great weight, and are doubtless receiving the careful consideration of the Imperial Russian Government.
[B]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[5464]
No. 1.
€ 0
[February 18.]
SECTION 2
6486
RECO Rre 4 MAR 10
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received February 16.)
(No. 30. Confidential.) Sir,
Peking, January 24, 1910. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a report which I have received from the military attaché on the subject of the trials, in September last, of mountain and field guns specially designed for China by Messrs. Vickers-
Maxim.
Lieutenant-Colonel Willoughby was not able to attend personally, but the trials were witnessed by Captain Leah, commanding the Royal Artillery of the legation guard, and Captain Brooke, a language officer who assists the military attaché in the discharge of his duties. The account of the proceedings given by these two officers is unfortunately distinctly unfavourable and goes to show, as I have already suggested in my despatches Nos. 91 and 134 of the 27th February and the 31st March last respectively, that Messrs. Vickers-Maxim, whatever be the merits or defects of their guos, as to which I am not competent to express an opinion, are not represented in this country in such a manner as to enable them to compete successfully with their foreign rivals.
I have, &c.
(For Sir John Jordan),
W. G. MAX MÜLLER.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Report by Lieutenant-Colonel Willoughby.
IN September the long deferred trials of the field and mountain guns tendered by Messrs. Vickers-Maxim for the Chinese Government took place near Peking while I was away on tour in Manchuria, and in my absence Captain N. P. Brooke, Leinster Regiment, attended the trials.
The guns did not satisfy the Chinese Ordnance Committee for the following
reasons ---
1. The screw breech is (in their opinion) inferior to the Krupp sliding block, being more complicated, consisting of more parts, and the single pieces not so easily changed as in the Krupp system.
Morcover, with the screw breech the movement of the lever is away from the man when opening and closing the breech, and is about three-fourths of a circle. The Krupp sliding block opens with a slight pull towards the man, and the movement of the lever is only about one-third of a circle. The latter system is therefore more convenient.
Experience shows that on the rough roads and in the dust of China the screw breech is more exposed to wear and tear than the sliding block, which, owing to its plain surface and simplicity of construction, is more reliable.
2. The firing gear is too complicated, and even in the trials it was shown how casily it could be thrown out of action.
Consisting of too many parts, and the original pull for firing having to be trans- mitted over so many various parts, the firing gear secans too precarious.
3. Open or exposed springs are a disadvantage. Not only in actual war could such be easily damaged by hostile fire, but even, as proved at the trials, small obstructions
on the rough roads, or from other accidents, may fall between the springs, and prevent the barrel from running fully home and the gun from being fired.
[2033 q-2)