in the vernacular papers. This may possibly account for the attitude of indifference assumed by the Grand Secretary and the other Ministers of the board.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Prince Ch'ing.
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
Your Highness,
Peking, April 10, 1911. THE contents of your Highness's note of the 11th March last regarding the Burmah - Yünnan frontier question were duly telegraphed to His Majesty's Government, whose reply I have now the honour to communicate to your Highness.
His Majesty's Government are fully satisfied that Chinese claims to all villages west of the Salween-Irrawaddy watershed, with exception of Pien-ma, K'ang Fang, and Gawlam groups, are quite inadmissible, and I am instructed to inform your Highness's board that there can be no question of accepting the Kao Liang Kung range as the basis of the frontier. That range forms the watershed between the rivers Chipwtwi and Hpare, and the claim to regard it as the frontier is tantamount to a renewal of the proposal made by Taotai Shih in the year 1905.
As regards the proposal in your Highness's note for the appointment of a joint commission to examine the country and decide upon a basis for a frontier, I am to point out that the experience of 1905 shows clearly that, unless such a basis is settled upon by the two Governments beforehand, no practical solution is at all likely to be attained. Unless there is a clear understanding as to what this basis should be, there is no possibility of officials on the spot arriving at any agreement, and the 1905 experience should serve as a warning against such a step.
With regard to the line which should be adopted as the basis, His Majesty's Government instruct me to state that the investigations of the officer whom they recently deputed to visit and administer the country up to the watershed have confirmed the view consistently urged in previous communications with the Wai-wn Pu that the line of the watershed forms not only the natural frontier and the most suitable one on geographical and administrative grounds, but is in reality the only line which affords any hope of a final settlement of this question.
In these circumstances His Majesty's Government must continue to press for its acceptance as the general basis of the frontier, subject to an understanding that due consideration will be given to the equitable adjustment of any claims which China may be able to substantiate to the west of the watershed.
His Majesty's Government still consider, as they have always done since 1906, that those claims would be fairly and justly met by payment of monetary com- pensation to the native chiefs of Teng Keng for the customary presents and dues which they have been in the habit of receiving from certain villages on the western side of the proposed boundary, and I am instructed to renew to your Highness the formal offer which has already been made to the Chinese Government for a settlement on these terms.
I avail, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
463