This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government |
550
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[10607]
(No. 71.) Sir,
No. 1.
[March 29.]
SECTION 1
12550
REC
Res 28 APR 10
Mr. Max Müller to Sir Edward Grey,-(Received March 29.)
Peking, March 10, 1910. On the 8th instant M. de Brederode, the Portuguese chargé d'affaires, showed me a despatch which he had received from the Portuguese consul-general at Canton in regard to the establishment at Wan-chai, on the Island of Lappa, opposite Macao, of a Chinese office to supervise fishing-boats. Apparently this office was dependent on the Board of Reorganisation at Canton, and was therefore an official institution. The Portuguese consul-general at Cantou, under instructions from the governor at Macao, called the attention of the Viceroy to this fresh violation of the status quo in contra- vention of article 2 of the treaty of 1887. The Viceroy did not even trouble to reply to this protest, but apparently must have given it out for publication, as a subsequent telegram from the consul-general stated that it had been published. M. de Brederode came to ask my advice as to what action he should take, and I advised him to inform his Government of the facts, and, pending instructions, to mention the matter to the Wai-wu Pu, and request them to obtain further information from the Viceroy at Canton in regard to this new incident and also this alleged act of discourtesy towards the Portuguese consul-general.
I promised him that I would take an early opportunity of mentioning the matter to the Chinese Government.
I have, &c.
W. G. MAX MÜLLER.
[2676 #-1]
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