4
As regards the colony of Shara Sume and its strength, it must be remembered that it is typically Chinese; the soldiers are not even of the newest pattern, the walls of the settlement are of mud. Even with its guns it could be annihilated in a few hours by a Russian force arriving from Zaisansky Post, a few days away to the west. therefore, absurd for the Russians to be so jealous of this colony.
It seems,
There was no Russian consul at Kobdo when I was there. The Russian Govern- ment are now insisting on the appointment of one according to treaty, and he will doubtless be accompanied by a Cossack escort as at Uliassutai and Urga (the latter place is practically a Russian town; there were sixty Cossacks there in 1908 and some guns). The settlements of Uliassutai and Kobdo are likely soon to become as Russian as Urga. At Chuguchak there is no consular guard, as Bakhti, where there is a large Russian force consisting of all three arms, is only a few hours away.
There would not appear to be any clause in the treaty of 1881 by which the Russian Government can claim to establish a consulate at a new colony such as Shara Sume, but they will certainly work to get one established there and at any future new colony, so as to be enabled to watch and control their destinies.
With a large consular guard at Kuldja and also at Urumtsi (I myself met the consul returning to his post from leave with a large Cossack escort), and consular guards at the new consulates at Guchen and Hami, for which the Russian Govern- ment is pressing, it may be said that both Northern and Southern Mongolia will be entirely controlled by the Russians.
(This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.?
C O
0654.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
[February 27.]
Prof 17 MAR
CONFIDENTIAL,
SECTION 3.
[6674)
No. 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Sir J. Jordan.
(No. 34.) (Telegraphic.) R.
Foreign Office, February 27, 1911. THE United States Government are anxious that the British, American, French, and German Governments should authorise their representatives at Peking to make a declaration to the effect that they would not support the making to China by their respective nationals, either directly or indirectly, of any loans to which the Chinese Government shall not first have satisfied them that due provision had been made for a reasonable supervision of the expenditure.
The French Government raise no objection, provided that the two other Governments concerned agree to instruct their representatives at Peking in the same
sense.
I am not yet in receipt of the German views.
You may join your American, French, and German colleagues, when the latter have received similar instructions, in making a joint declaration to the Chinese Government in the above sense.
[1909 dd--3]
D
501