This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Gorem
C O
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
23539
[June 30.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
REGR
SECTION 2.
Rear 18 JU 1
[25418]
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received June 30.)
(No. 246.) Sir,
I HAVE the honour to report that I recently received a despatch from the
Peking, June 15, 1911. Governor of Hong Kong, enclosing copy of a letter addressed by his xcellency to His Majesty's consul-general at Canton on the 18th April on the subject of the revival of the movement for boycotting Japanese trade in Hong Kong by means of circulars disseminated from Canton similar to those which caused a serious breach of the peace in November 1908, Mr. Jamieson was requested to bring the matter to the notice of the Governor-General of the Liang-Kuang provinces, and to move his Excellency to take effective steps to put a stop to this method of fomenting disturbance and interference with trade in the colony of Hong Kong. I have the honour to transmit herewith copy of the note which I addressed to Prince Ch'ing on the 5th instant, requesting that telegraphic instructions might be sent to the Viceroy at Canton to discover and punish the authors and distributors of these circulars, and translation of the Wai-wu Pu's reply, to the effect that the Police Intendant of Canton had been instructed to hold an investigation and prohibit these practices. I have since received a despatch from Sir F. Lugard, reporting that he was informed by His Majesty's consul-general of a communication from the Viceroy of the 27th April containing similar assurances.
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN,
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Your Highness,
Sir J. Jordan to Prince Ch'ing.
Peking, June 6, 1911. I HAVE recently been informed by his Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong that the resuscitation of the boycott of Japanese trade is being advocated in the Chinese press in Canton, and that large quantities of circulars on the same subject are being sent from Canton to Hong Kong with a view to creating disturbance.
It will be within your Highness's recollection that in November 1908 and again in October 1909 I had occasion to draw the attention of the Chinese Government to similar attempts on the part of agitators in Canton to interfere with the trade of the British colony, and I need not repeat how essential it is that effective steps should be taken by the local authorities in Canton to discover and punish the authors and distributors of these circulars, of which I enclose a copy.
I have the honour to ask that telegraphic instructions may be sent to the Viceroy at Canton in this sense, and I avail, &c.
J. N. JORDAN,
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Prince Ching to Sir J. Jordan.
(Translation.) Sir,
Peking, June 9, 1911.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's note of the 5th instant.
[Précis of note quoted.]
My board at once telegraphed to the Canton Viceroy to enquire into and prohibit [the proceedings complained of], and the latter's telegraphic reply has now been received, stating that he has instructed the Intendant of Police to make a thorough investigation and effect a stringent prohibition.
I avail, &c.
Prince CHING.
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