(Confidential.) (No.. 13.) (Telegraphic.)
336
Enclosure 3 in No. 219.
Sir E. SATOW to Sir Edward Grey.
(Received February 7, 5 p.m.)
Peking, February 7, 1906, 5 p.m. Your telegram, No. 16, of [3rd February, 1906: Canton-Kowloon Railway] On 12th December Wai-wu Pu wrote that in response to their request the Vice- roy had promised to delegate an official to negotiate with the Corporation's repre- sentative. From telegrams afterwards received from Canton and Hong Kong, I learn that Viceroy did appoint two officials to meet representative, but that they merely said Viceroy wished to pay survey expenses, and cancel preliminary Agree-
ment.
On 27th December I wrote to the Wai-wu Pu objecting, and asked for Viceroy to be ordered to issue such instructions to his Delegates as would insure negotiations being conducted in accordance with the ordinary rules of international business.
Learning later that instructions sent by the Wai-wu Pu were not sufficiently explicit, I wrote a strong note on 12th January, requesting that definite instructions be sent to Viceroy to discuss contents of the draft final and working Agreements, copies and translations of which I communicated to Tang Shao-Yi.
On 24th January Governor of Hong Kong informed me that Viceroy had asked him for text of Northern Railways Loan Agreement of 1898, stating that if he found it satisfactory, he would open negotiations on that basis.
I suggested, in reply, that to give text would be equivalent to conceding that point, and that it would be better to stand out for negotiations on the basis of draft Agreements. If, in the course of discussion, Viceroy's Delegates brought forward proposal above mentioned, the British negotiator might examine it, but not show any eagerness to accept it.
Governor replied, 26th January, that he had asked Consul-General to inform Viceroy that the Railways Agreement had no bearing on the preliminary Agreement of 1899 with regard to the Canton-Kowloon line, and if His Excellency had
any object beyond causing delay, he could obtain copies from his own Government.
Chinese New Year holidays have prevented my pressing the matter, and I am waiting for text of Viceroy's request for Loan Agreement, which it will be necessary to quote in addressing the Wai-wu Pu.
6268
(No. 16.) (Paraphrase.)
337
Enclosure in No. 220.
Sir E. GREY to Sir E. SATOW, Peking.
TELEGRAM.
Foreign Office, February 3, 1906. The Minutes of the Meeting of December 19th between the Deputies of the Viceroy and the Representative of the British and Chinese Corporation on the subject of the Canton-Kowloon Railway have been communicated to us by the Corporation. After the information which was given to you on November 23rd, to the effect that the Viceroy had been told to begin negotiations as soon as possible, latter's attitude is most disappointing.
A telegram with the usual arguments has been received since the meeting from the Viceroy through the Chinese Minister. A reply has been sent in the sense of the enclosure in your despatch, No. 329, of November 18th last year.
We should be glad to learn how the matter stands at present. Do you think you can bring further pressure to bear on the Viceroy through the Viceroy of Chihli, or by any other means?
4861
GENTLEMEN,
No. 221.
COLONIAL OFFICE to CROWN AGENTS.
[Answered by No. 254.]
Downing Street, February 22, 1906. WITH reference to previous correspondence on the subject of the Canton- Kowloon Railway, I am directed by the Earl of Elgin to forward to you the enclosed despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong with regard to the reclamation required for the Kowloon terminus of that line.
2. I am to ask you to be so good as to obtain the observations of your Consulting Engineer on these papers at an early date.
6544
No. 222.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
No. 220.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received February 22, 1906.)
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. Foreign Office,
February 21, 1906.
Reference TO PREVIOUS LETTER : Foreign Office, February 20, 1906.*
SIR,
CROWN AGENTS to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received February 24, 1906.)
Whitehall Gardens, London, S. W., February 23, 1906.
Hong Kong Loan.
IN continuation of our letter of the 19th [? 13th] instant,† I have the honour to transmit, for the information of the Secretary of State, a copy of the letter in which we have reported to the Government of Hong Kong the result of the recent Loan issue.
I have, &c.,
E. E. BLAKE.
Enclosure in No. 222.
February 23, 1906.
Description of Enclosure.
Name and Dute.
Robject.
Paraphrase of Telegram No. 16 to Sir E. Batow Canton-Kowloon Railway.
of 3 February, 1906.
• No. 219.
SIR,
(30 D. Hong Kong Loan.)
Hong Kong Loan.
I HAVE the honour to report that on the 20th instant wè sent you a telegram in the following words :--
*
'Loan to provide £1,100,000 issued and placed to-day in 3 per cent. Stock
at £99 18., less expenses:"
and I now beg to state the circumstances in which the issue has been made.
• No. 213.
18285
† 5245; not printed.
? C
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TLC.O. 882
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO