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[38132]
60
No. 124.
262
Mr. Alston to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received August 18.)
(No. 309.) Sir,
Peking, August 3, 1913. I HAVE the honour to report that papers have recently been laid before the Diplomatic Body by the Wai-chiao Pu in connection with the disturbances in Southern China, and the endeavours of the Chinese Government to safeguard itself against the complicity of foreign subjects with the leaders of the rebel cause.
In reply to a note, dated the 24th July, requesting the expulsion from the inter- pational settlement at Shanghai of the rebel leaders Huang Hsing and Chen Chi-mei, in order that the settlement might not be used as a base for disturbances, the Wai-chiao Pu was informed by the Diplomatic Body that the Casoular Body had already taken steps to that effect. An identic note was addressed to me, and I issued instructions to the consuls officiating at ports where British concessions have been established, to prevent the proscribed leaders from concealing themselves within the areas under our control.
In response to representations from the Wai-chiao Fu that code telegrams, purporting to be sent by foreign merchants were being utilised by the rebels at Kiukiang for the purpose of fomenting trouble, I also instructed His Majesty's consul as a temporary measure to attach his signature and official seal to all telegrams which were despatched in code by British merchants at that port,
On the 25th July martial law was proclaimed at Peking, and the Wai-chiao Pu requested that: (1) violent characters should not be permitted to make use of the legation quarter as a refuge; (2) that letters and telegrams despatched from the legation quarter, other than those of the legations and the banks, should be subjected to official censorship by the Chinese; and (3) that foreign subjects residing outside the quarter should be held responsible for the observance of orders issued under martial law,
At a diplomatic meeting on the 28th July it was decided that clause (1) was actually provided for by the protocol of 1901, no Chinese other than those in the employ of foreigners having the right to reside within the legation quarter; that clause (2) could not be accepted, but that code telegrams from commercial houses should be franked by the official seal of their legations during the period of disturbance; and that no measures could be taken to enforce clause 3 until the nature of the orders in question had been communicated by the Chinese Government.
A question of broader interest was raised by a note from the Wai-chiao Pu of the 25th July, in which the approval of the Diplomatic Body was sought for certain regulations drawn up with a view to the prevention of the complicity of foreigners with the present revolt.
The Chinese Government proposed (1) that the houses and vessels of foreigners should be subject to search, under warrants vised by a consul, should one be in the vicinity; (2) that any war materials which might be discovered should be submitted to the trial of a prize court; (3) that foreigners assisting the rebels in the districts under martial law should be captured and punished, the trial and punishment to be in the hands of the Chinese alone should the capture be effected within the fighting zone.
After careful consideration of the question the Diplomatic Body was unable to accept the representations, which in their opinion jeopardised the rights of foreigners as assured by treaty, and in his reply to the Wai-chiao Pu the dean expressed the view that any case in which a foreigner was accused of complicity with the rebels should be dealt with in accordance with treaty stipulations.
I have, &c.
B. ALSTON,
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