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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
Page 28, article 16, line 4:-
150
Chinese Imperial Bank " should be " Imperial Bank of China.”
Page 29, article 18, line 20:---
Ratified" should be changed to " signed."
Page 29, article 18, line 20:-
$5
Ratification" should be changed to "signature."
Page 30, article 19, line 10:-
61
Charges" should be altered to "changes."
Schedule, page 36, lines 5 to 10:
By desire of the British Minister and with the sanction of the Governor of Hong Kong the paragraph "Whereas by the Convention
omitted.
be discussed" is to be
The preamble will, therefore, commence with the following paragraph: "Whereas it is expedient that an agreement should be
&c., &c.," with the omission of
the first word " And."
If you approve of these alterations please confirm.
We are, &c.,
151
would prejudice him still further. The latter result is what we most desire in our own interests, but we cannot very well lend ourselves to such an intrigue. On the other hand, when I enlarged upon the necessity in Chinese interests of getting hold of a man who could be trusted not to buy up land, bricks or quarries with the object of filling his pockets and those of his friends, and so increasing the cost of the railway to China, the reply was that this was too delicate a matter for him to open his mouth on.
I conclude, therefore, that it will be best to hold our hand for the present and see how it goes with Sheng. We will inform the Governor of Hong Kong and the Foreign Office of the situation, so that they may know we are doing our best, and point out to them that while we are aware that the present moment is a good one for raising money for enterprises in China, they must not expect that because they have at last framed a scheme for working a concession granted seven years ago, it can now be put into final shape with lightning rapidity.
Yours sincerely,
ERNEST SATOW.
C.O. 882
6 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
The Board of Directors,
Per pro JARDINe, Matheson and COMPANY,
Agents
24997/S
C. H. Ross,
The British and Chinese Corporation, Limited.
The British and Chinese Corporation, Limited, London.
DEAR SIR MATTHEW NATHAN,
Peking, June 7, 1905.
Canton-Kowloon Railway.
I HOPED ere this that I should have been in a position to advise you that our negotiations had really commenced, but as you will observe from enclosed copy of letter from Sir Ernest Satow, we are blocked for the present by Sheng's uncertain position. Sheng has had his audience, but apparently has not yet succeeded in appeasing all his enemies, and the position as it stands is, that while not as yet pre- pared to ignore or go past him the Wai-Wu-Pu will not for the present place fresh railway business in his hands.
Sir Ernest Satow very clearly points out his position in the matter, and while I much regret the delay, I fear I can do nothing but sit down and look on until such time as Sheng either regains his position or goes under altogether.
With reference to the Chinese translations of the Loan and Working Agreements, if necessary I can get these done in Tientsin. I have not as yet put the matter in hand because if Sheng is to negotiate he will accept no translations but those prepared by his own staff, and it, therefore, seems useless going to the expense (Tls. 500) until we know definitely who is to be the negotiator. I have, however, informed Sir Ernest that I am prepared to have the translations made at once if he so desires, and I await his instructions in the matter.
His Excellency
Sir Matthew Nathan, K.C.M.G., Hong Kong.
DEAR MR. Ross,
Yours very truly,
C. H. Ross.
Peking, June 6, 1905.
THE result of my conversation yesterday with Na Tung seems to be this, that Sheng is attacked on all sides by his foes, and that until he has either beaten them or been defeated, the question of the negotiator on the Chinese side for Canton- Kowloon Railway cannot be settled.
If we attack him on the ground that he is dilatory and difficult to deal with, we should be in reality giving him a leg up, and if we advocated his being chosen that
(Secret.)
No. 119.
COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.
SIR,
WITH reference to previous correspondence as to the negotiations for a loan in
Downing Street, July 31, 1905. connection with the Hankow Canton Railway, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttel ton to forward to you to be laid before the Marquess of Lansdowne paraphrases of two telegrams which have been received from the Governor of Hong Kong.
2. I am to enclose also a paraphrase of a telegramt which was sent to Sir M. Nathan on the 29th instant.
27696
No. 120.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Very confidential.)
(Received August 4, 1905.)
The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, and, by direction of the Secretary of State, transmits herewith copy of the under-mentioned paper relative to Chinese Railways.
Foreign Office,
August 3, 1905.
REFERENCE TO PREVIOUS LETTER. August 1, from Colonial Office.
• Nos. XV. and XVIII. in No. 128.
↑ No. XXVIII. in No. 130.
L. F. transmitting copy of No. XXXI, in No. 130.
152
DESCRIPTION OF ENCLOSURE.