481
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
2
d'opposition formelle au contrat d'emprunt, a toutefois formulé certaines réserves dont notre Gouvernement estime devoir tenir compte, et nous ne pourrons savoir si l'emprunt en question sera admis à la cote sur le marché de Paris que lorsque le programme complet des dépenses à effectuer en Mandchourie aura été soumis au Gouvernement russe sans provoquer d'objections de sa part, et qu'il aura également notifié son accord sur l'affectation à la garantie de cet emprunt des revenus de la province énumérés au contrat.
Le groupe français estime, en conséquence, qu'il ne saurait participer aux avances. préliminaires avant d'être fixé sur l'attitude de son Gouvernement.
J'ai cru préférable de vous exposer complètement notre position et l'ensemble des raisons pour lesquelles nous sommes momentanément obligés de nous séparer des autres groupes, en vous laissant le soin d'en donner connaissance à Mr. Grenfell, si vous le jugez à propos.
Croyez-moi, &c.
S. SIMON,
6.0
19637
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
REC
[May 18.]
CONFIDENTIAL
REGE 16 JUN
SECTION 1.
[18880]
No. 1.
Colonial Office to Foreign Office.--(Received May 18.)
Sir,
Downing Street, May 17, 1911. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, with reference to letter to the Colonial Office of the 3rd May, copy of a despatch to the Governor of Hong Kong on the subject of the proposed Anglo-Chinese customs convention.
I
am,
&c.
II. BERTRAM COX.
(Confidential.) Sir,
Enclosure in No. 1.
Mr. Harcourt to Governor Sir F. Lugard.
Downing Street, May 12, 1911. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential despatch of the 11th February, forwarding the final draft of the proposed Anglo-Chinese customs convention as agreed upon between you and Mr. Harris.
*
2. I enclose a copy of correspondence with the Foreign Office on the subject, and I would invite your attention to the suggestions made by Sir Edward Grey. The arrangement should be described throughout as an agreement, and that word should accordingly be substituted for "convention" wherever it occurs in the draft. For the reasons stated in the Foreign Office letter of the 3rd May, the clause in article 16 which refers to ratification should be omitted.
3. The Board of Trade have informed me that they do not desire to offer any observations upon the draft, and I have accordingly to express my approval of the agreement subject to the amendments indicated above. You will no doubt agree with me in thinking that the agreement should be signed, if possible, simultaneously with the railway agreement on the satisfactory completion of the negotiations in the latter case.
I have, &c.
* To Foreign Office, April 22; Foreign Office, May 3, 1911.
L. HARCOURT,
[20239) 1]