[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
C O
360
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[23500]
No. 1.
21654
[June 30.1]
HECK
SECTION 215 JUI 10)
Sir,
India Office to Foreign Office-(Received June 30.)
India Office, June 29, 1910. WITH reference to your letter of the 31st May, 1910, on the subject of the Bhamo-Tengyueh railway project, I am directed by Viscount Morley to forward herewith, for the information of Sir E. Grey, a copy of a telegram from the Government of India, indicating their views on the communication from His Majesty's chargé d'affaires at Peking of the 27th May.
Lord Morley thinks it possible that dilatory tactics are being adopted by the Chinese Government, but he is doubtful whether the best course will be to refuse the Chinese Government the information for which they have asked.
If Sir E. Grey concurs, Lord Morley would, on the whole, prefer that His Majesty's Minister at Peking should be placed in a position to communicate to the Chinese authorities such reports and estimates on this line as the Government of India may possess and may think suitable for communication, and that instructions should be sent to the British Minister at Peking, leaving it to his discretion to communicate to the Chinese Government the information which the Government of India have been requested to send to him, provided that he considers that this course will expedite and not delay matters.
Subject to the concurrence of Sir E. Grey, Lord Morley proposes to send to the Government of India the telegram of which a draft is enclosed.
I have, &c.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Government of India to Viscount Morley,
ED. S. MONTAGU.
(Telegraphic.) P.
June 10, 1910. PLEASE see Government of India letter of the 24th Febrnary, 1910, Secret, regarding the Bhamo-Tengyueh railway project. The Government of Burmah telegraph on the 1st June as follows:---
"His Majesty's chargé d'affaires at Peking has sent the following telegram (please refer to despatch from consul at Yünnan of the 24th February and Government of Burmah's despatch No. 1168 T) :
"Yesterday at a special interview the President of the Wai-wu Pu stated that a communication from the Viceroy enlarged upon local political and financial difficulties, but did not contain any definite suggestions. It had therefore been arranged with the Board of Communications that, as a preliminary measure, a survey of the line, with an estimate of its cost, and a report on the local conditions should be immediately undertaken. He intimated that up to the present time the Chinese Government had not got sufficient information to enable them to give the subject a practical consideration. I reminded him of the history of the Bhamo-Tengyueh project, and of the survey which had been made years ago by British engineers, and I endeavoured to secure from him an acceptance of the construction of the line in principle, leaving matters of detail for discussion in future; but the President insisted that a satisfactory report to the Throne could not be submitted by the Wai-wu Pu and the Board of Communications until a survey, with the estimate and report above referred to, had been prepared on the Chinese side. At the same time, he considered that the Board of Communications would like to be given an opportunity of examining any reports or survey made by the Indian engineers, and I undertook to see whether this could be arranged. Although I believe that the Chinese have engineers who are able to make a survey of the line, I considered it to be necessary to intimate to the President that, if outside assistance had to be obtained, the engagement of any foreign engineers other than Englishmen would displease the British Government.”
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