[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
180
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
со
18595
[May 30.1
REC
SECTION REG 18 JUN 10
[16998]
(No. 188.) Sir,
No. 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Mr. Max Müller.
Foreign Office, May 30, 1910. I ENCLOSE herewith a copy of a letter from the China Association,* urging that joint action should be taken by His Majesty's Government and the Government of the United States with a view to obtaining an extension of the Shanghae international settlement.
The association state that the latest information from Shanghae indicates that there is no improvement visible in the present conditions as compared with those described in the association's letter of the 1st January, 1909, copy of which was sent you in my despatch No. 14 of the 15th January of that year, and that cases of obstruction and collision between the municipal and native police are of frequent occurrence. They add that the arguments contained in their previous communication in favour of the inclusion within the settlement limits of the district north of Shanghae known as the Paoshan district and the other portion of Paoshan Hsien known as Chapei are, if possible, even more cogent than they were last year.
Sir J. Jordan, who has been consulted on the subject, has testified from personal observation of the locality as to the necessity for the extension of the settlement, though he has expressed the opinion that the Chinese Government will certainly offer the most strenuous opposition to a proposal of the kind described. He has further pointed out that, though the scheme has been endorsed by the consular body at Shanghae, it has received only lukewarm support from the foreign representatives at Peking, who thought it futile to apply for any extension of foreign privileges so long as China maintained her present attitude of hostility towards any increase of foreign influence, however reasonable.
Sir J. Jordan nevertheless considers that in the existing circumstances the request of the China Association is reasonable, and he is inclined to think that if the United States Government were to give the matter their whole-hearted support it might be found possible to induce the Wai-wu Pu to give way. He is further convinced that the Japanese Minister would gladly co-operate, unless his Government entertained any objection to such a course. He is, moreover, of opinion that, apart from the immediate object in view, it would be a desirable thing that the three Powers should be seen to be in co-operation, and that their joint action in this matter would serve as a useful. object lesson to China.
I should accordingly be glad if you would take an early opportunity to approach. the United States representative on the question of his support, and at the same time to sound Mr. Ijuin as to the co-operation of the Japanese Government.
Those instructions were drafted previous to the consideration of your despatch No. 139 of the 4th instant, but a perusal of that despatch does not appear to me to. necessitate any alteration in them, and much of the information supplied by the China Association is confirmed by that furnished in your report.
I am,
&c. E. GREY.
* China Association, May 11, 1910.
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