[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
C
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RECO [March18 JUN 10
SECTION 1.
[10412]
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received March 28.)
(No. 58.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Peking, March 28, 1910. YOUR communication to the Chinese Minister mentioned in your telegram No. 47 of the 24th instant was discussed to-day by Liang-tun-yen and Natung, who said they considered that His Majesty's Government were not warranted to take such a step as the refusal to receive their Prince by the relative unimportance of the three questions mentioned by you.
I added several cases to the three mentioned by you, and pointed out that your message referred rather to the generally unreasonable attitude of their Government in regard to such cases than to the instances given. If they wished to ensure a proper reception for their Prince, they need only change this attitude and give proof of those so much vaunted friendly intentions.
Having no authority to discuss the Chinese Mining and Engineering case or the Macao question, with regard to which their assurances and explanations were of a vague and unsatisfactory nature, I expressed the hope that the Chinese Government would empower their Minister in London to convey to you more satisfactory assurances. They evidently seem to be weighing the expediency of instructing the Prince to omit England and carry out his visits to all the other countries in the programme, but I gathered the impression that they were not at ease as to what might lie behind your
message.
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