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qu'à donnée son travail. Le corps diplomatique répondrait par une lettre acceptant Je remplacement de M. de Rijke par un autre ingénieur.
Quant à la question des travaux ultérieurs, de l'entretien et de la surveillance, elle doit également rester sur le terrain contractuel. Le corps diplomatique se rend compte que peut-être l'accord de 1905 ne répond plus aux besoins de la situation de 1910. fl se réserve done d'étudier, par l'entremise du corps consulaire de Shanghai et à l'aide de tous documents et témoignages qu'il sera possible d'obtenir, cette seconde question. Il se réserve d'en entretenir ensuite le Wai-wou Pou, et de s'enquérir de ses vues, dans l'espoir qu'il sera facile d'arriver à une entente favorable à tous les intérêts
on cause.
La séance est levée à 5 heures.
(Translation.)
Enclosure 3 in No. 1.
Wai-wu Pu to Dean of Diplomatic Body.
November 4, 1910. IN the 31st year of Kuang-hsü (1905), our board arranged with the representatives of all Powers in Peking to change the articles referring to the correction of the Whangpoo. The engagement of an engineer, the improvement of the river and the raising of the funds, agreed upon, China has fulfilled according to the stipulations of the agreement. Now the improvement of the river is brought near to completion, and the work of protecting the reform work is comparatively small. From the sum of 9,200,000 Haikuan taels which China has raised for the river work there is not much left. It is a matter of course that we must think of changing the methods, to save money for the preservation of the reform work. The formerly engaged engineer de Rijke has done his work with good result, and, as the contract with him is terminated, we think of dispensing with his services and to engage through the Shanghai Customs taotai the Swedish engineer, Hai-te-sheng (Heidenstam), to take over charge of the reform work, We also propose to change the present Whangpon Conservancy Board into a Whangpoo Conservancy Reform Office, which again will be under the direction of the Shanghai Custorus taotai and the Commissioner of Customs.
We think, &c.
Enclosure 4 in No. 1,
Mr. Max Müller to Consul-General Sir P. Warren.
(No. 27.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Peking, November 6, 1910. WITH reference to your telegram. No. 19 of the 14th ultimo, I should be glad to know whether you think there would be any serious objection to Heidenstam boing appointed engineer to the Conservancy Board, provided contract was experimental and for a short time. My opposition would not suffice to prevent his appointment, as the majority of my colleagues are prepared to accept him. Moreover, the negotiations with the Chinese Government regarding the continuance of the present Conservancy Board and the completion and maintenance of works would be facilitated by the acceptance of Heidenstam's appointment.
Enclosure 5 in No. 1.
Consul-General Sir P. Warren to Mr. Max Müller.
(No. 21.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Shanghai, November 6, 1910. WITH reference to your telegram No. 27 of to-day's date, I consider that Heidenstam's appointment would be most unfortunate. I have occasion to believe that he does not possess the necessary experience, and for the successful continuance of de Rijke's work it is absolutely necessary that the engineer should be thoroughly conversant with that particular branch of engineering.
A telegram was dispatched to London yesterday by the China Association suggesting that the nomination of a suitable person to carry on de Rijke's work should be entrusted to the three experts who drew up the report.
Enclosure 6 in No. 1.
Consul-General Sir P. Warren to Mr. Max Müller.
(No. 22.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Shanghai, November 9, 1910. ASSISTANT ENGINEER VAN DER VEEN and the whole of the technical staff have received notice of the termination of their agreements on the 30th instant, and they will certainly leave. De Rijke goes on the 25th. The situation is regarded as critical, and the consequences will probably be very serious if the conservancy works now in progress are left unattended. I would suggest the retention of Van der Veen at least until a competent engineer-in-chief is appointed. China Association consider Heidenstam's experience is quite inadequate, and protest strongly against his appointment. The Viceroy has as yet sent no communication to Conservancy Board cancelling the instructions against which the diplomatic body protested.
Enclosure 7 in No. 1.
Mr. Max Müller to Consul-General Sir P. Warren,
(No. 28.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Peking, November 10, 1910. YOUR telegram No. 21 of the 6th instant. Though it would for obvious reasons be preferable that such information should reach the doyen in the name of the consular body of Shanghai, I am informing his Excellency of the substance of your telegram No. 22 of the 9th instant. At Monday's meeting of the diplomatic body I stated that I did not see my way to accepting Heidenstam's appointment, and obtained the adoption of a motion to the effect that, if the Chinese Government were to put it forward, his candidature would receive the consideration of the foreign representatives provided satisfactory certificates and proof of experience in the particular branch of engineering in question were forthcoming; and also that the duration of his contract should in any case only be one year.
Please convey to China Association assurance of my readiness to meet their wishes by all the means in my power, but the deciding vote in the matter of the appointment of engineer-in-chief is taken by majority and not by unanimity. Both the Chinese Government and the German and other Ministers whom we are trying to bring into line would strongly oppose the nomination of a suitable person by the three British experts. I fear therefore that the suggestion of the association would not facilitate matters.
Enclosure 8 in No. 1.
Mr. Max Müller to Dean of Diplomatic Body.
My dear Dean,
Peking, November 10, 1910. I RECEIVED last night a telegram from our consul-general at Shanghai, by which he informs me that the Conservancy Board has as yet received no instructions from the Viceroy at Nanking removing or modifying the instructions previously given, against which we protested at our interview with the Grand Secretary Na-t'ung on the 26th ultimo, and which M. Alfred Sze gave your Excellency to understand would be at once revoked.
On the contrary, Sir Pelham Warren telegraphs that M. de Rijke leaves on the 25th November, and that the assistant engineer, Van der Veen, and the entire technical staff have received notice that their agreements will terminate on the 30th November, and that they will certainly leave then.
Sir Pelham Warren points out how serious the results may be if the conservancy works at present in progress are left without proper technical supervision. I venture to suggest that your Excellency should point this out to M. Alfred Sze, and request that the services of Van der Veen and the technical staff be retained, at any rate pending the appointment of a competent engineer-in-chief.
Yours sincerely,
W. G. MAX MÜLLER.
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