CO129-324 - Governor Nathan - 1904 [10-12] — Page 121

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MS LIM

A WIOTINC

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that the property is that of a commercial body. As to the state-

rent regarding the name, "General Telegraph Administration of

China", I may say that, the head Office being situated in the Foreign Settlement at Shanghai, the name was intended to distin- guish the Administration from the Foreign Telegraph Companies in

that port. It was not intended by the word 'China' (or Chinese) to

signify that the Administration was established by the Chinese Government. Cnly the Government has granted the monopoly to the

Administration and has appointed officials to supervise and watch

over and support its interests. The statement in the despatch re-

ceived that the name "precluded the idea that it was an ordinary

commercial enterprise and that the Government could not therefore

see its way to treat it as such" displays a lack of knowledge of

the position of the Administration. I propose to request Your

Excellency to inform the Colonial Secretary through the Eritish

Consul-General of the above facts, and request him to delay the

removal of the telegraph poles for the present pending the ar-

rangement of the matter.

This report has now been sent in to me. it

is perfectly true that, as the Administration says, the capital

and profits still belong entirely to the shareholders and are the

property of a commercial body, and that the title "Chinese

Telegraph Administration" was adopted in order to distinguish the

Head Office at Shanghai from those of the foreign telegraph con-

panies. Although under Government supervision and protection it

still has for its object private convenience and profit.

You have always been most impartial in your

conduct of international affairs, and have encouraged commercial

enterprise. With a view to the maintenance of friendly relations

and in the interests of commerce I have the honour to ask you to

reply to the Colonial Secretary requesting him to delay the ranoval

of the poles, fc., for the time being, pending the arrangement of

the matter.

20 181 Jer, all stud

ક્રૂ,

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