[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
254
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
3447 [November 28.]
SECTION 5.
3 GB 1
[43191]
No. 1.
:
Mr. Max Müller to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received November 28.) (No. 409.) Sir,
Peking, November 11, 1910. WITH reference to my despatch No. 278 of the 16th August, enclosing the copy of a note to the Chinese Government in which I warned them that His Majesty's Government could in no circumstances allow the accuracy of the cairns erected on the middle section of the Burmah-Yunnan boundary to be now called in question, I have the honour to forward, in translation, two notes which I have received from Prince Ch'ing in reply. I much regret that the first of these notes was mislaid, and that there has consequently been a delay in reporting to you on the matter,
It will be observed that the Viceroy has called the attention of the Wai-wu Pu to the absence of Chinese inscriptions on the ninety-seven cairns in question, and suggests that a British official should be invited to co-operate with Chinese officials in verifying the numbers and positions of the cairns and in engraving them with Chinese inscriptions. The Wai-wu Pu approve this proposal, and urge that advantage should be taken of the present favourable season to carry out the investigation.
There appears to be nothing in the proposal to add Chinese inscriptions to the existing cairns to which exception could be taken, but the alleged necessity of verifying their position suggests an intention of challenging its accuracy, and I have therefore ventured, in my telegram No. 186 of the 9th instant, to enquire what reply you would wish me to return to these notes.
I have acknowledged their receipt, and informed the Wai-wu Pu that a further communication will be addressed to them on the receipt of your instructions.
I have, &c.
W. G. MAX MÜLLER.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Six,
Wai-wu Pu to Mr. Max Müller,
Peking, October 15, 1910. WE have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your note (of the 12th August, 1910) referring to the demarcation of the section of the Burmab-Yunnan boundary from the junction of the Nampaung and Taiping Rivers to the junction of the Nam Hpa and Nam Ting Rivers in conformity with the agreement between China and Great Britain signed at Peking in 1897, and to the drawing up of a descriptive list of the ninety-seven cairns erected by the boundary commissioners. You stated that in January last the cairns were inspected by the deputy commissioner of the Bhamo district, the British cousul at Tengyueh, and the Prefect of Yung-chang, who found that some of the cairns were correctly placed and some incorrectly placed. In bringing this matter to our notice you stated that you were instructed by your Government, in regard to the question of accuracy or inaccuracy in the erection of the cairns, to bid us notify the local officials in the province of Yunnan in accordance with the terms of your note under reply.
On receipt of the above, this Board addressed a despatch to the Viceroy of Yunnan, in reply to which the following telegram has now been received :----
On this section of the boundary-line tablets have been erected to the number of ninety-seven for the whole section. The original map marks the spot of each of these tablets, which, in compliance with the original proposal, were to be engraved jointly in Chinese and English. Existing tablets engraved in English only, without Chinese inscription, while some bear no inscription. Co-operation of British officials should be invited to verify the numbers in accordance with particulars of situation and measurement of distances given in the list, and check them one by one. tablets are dual Chinese ones should be set up as well; where single, Chinese
[2982 ee-l
Where the