419
Northern Telegraph Company by which their relations
were regularized and their interests in China com-
pletely amalgamated. They now began vigorously to
claim from the Chinese Goverment the full privi-
leges to which by concession they were entitled, and
the English Company applied to the Foreign Office
for support. This support was granted.
The Representatives of the Companies had on
April 22nd, 1887 an interview with Li Hung Chang;
subsequently Chêng at Chefoo took up the business.
The result was a Joint Purse Agreement which was
signed on August 10th.
The India Office was informed but apparently
not the Colonial Office. The India Office raised
objections to the Agreement. Thereupon arose a long
discussion between the Foreign Office, India Office, General
Post Office and the Company, and finally, the sub-
ject proving highly technical, it was arranged to
مانی که
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go.
On August 23rd 1890 the Colonial Office communicat-
The Colonial Office
ed to this Office a memorial from Hongkong Chamber of Commerce protesting against the ratification of the Agreement of August 10th 1887.
pointed out that of this Agreement they had no previous knowledge. In reply an account of the negotiations
regarding the Agreement was sent to the Colonial Office
and it was suggested that the Hongkong Chamber of Com-
merce should be informed that the matter was in abey-
ance, but that their representations would be considered. I
Further petitions from other bodies in China were re-
ceived in the same year by the Colonial Office and
answered in similar terms. The Agreement was never
ratified.
On August 26th 1895 the Eastern Extension Telegraph
Company transmitted copy of a draft Convention (the
Joint Purse Agreement) which was to arrange the diffi-
culties of the two Telegraph Companies and the Chinese
The General Post Office undertook the
Administration.
leave it to the General Post Office who would arrange
the matter. Sir J. Pender, on behalf of the Company
acquiesced in this arrangement.
On
conduct of negotiations with the Companies; the India
Office was consulted by this Office, but not the
Colonial Office. This Joint Purse Agreement was signed
at