(3).
>3
Hongkong University respectively.
4.
As regards the Board of Trustees, I agree
that this question should not be raised by us but left
entirely to the wishes of the National government.
5.
As regards paragraph 2 of your telegram
under reference, I cannot agree to the linking of the
Boxer indemnity question with that of the payment of
debts to British firins. As a separate question,
however, you should certainly urge the Chinese to pay
their just debts; and if they choose voluntarily,
either now or later, to make arrangements for paying
debts due by them out of the fund, I should welcome
their doing so.
6.
Lord Buxton and available members of his
Committee concur in the above proposals, and in their
adoption if and when His Majesty's Government decide
that the moment is propitious for taking such action.
As regards assurance 2, although in their original
report the funds were to be applied to new railway
construction, they now consider that owing to the
plight into which existing railways have fallen since
the date of that report, it is reasonable and
desirable that rehabilitation should precede new
construction.
Repeat to Hongkong.