[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL,
No. 1.
134
[February 13.]
SECTION 1.
Sir E. Satow to the Marquess of Lansdowne.--(Received February 13, 1904.)
Confidential.)
(No. 435.
Peking, December 21, 1903.
My Lord,
WITH reference to your Lordship's telegrams Nos. 193 and 200 of the 1st and 8th December respectively, instructing me to renew representations to the Chinese Government for the appointment of their Delegate to the Hwangpu Conservancy Board, I have the honour to inclose copy of a letter addressed to the Doyen of the Diplomatic Body by my German and United States' colleagues and myself, proposing that we should notify the intention of the Powers to convoke the Board without the Chinese Delegate, if any further delay occurred in his appointment.
The letter having been circulated to the foreign Representatives, our proposal has been approved by the Italian, Belgian, and Netherlands Ministers. The Representatives of Russia, Corea, and Spain expressed no opinion, and the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires is absent.
The French Minister states that the Chinese Government having entered upon direct negotiations with the French Government, and, he believes, with other Governments also, with the object of taking on themselves the works necessary for the improvement of the Shanghae bar, he has asked for instructions, which he must wait for before taking part in any further steps on the part of the Diplomatic Body.
Baron von Mumm informs me that, early this year, the German Government was also approached on this subject.
I have not been able to discover that any similar communication was made to your Lordship.
I have requested Sir Pelham Warren to urge the Viceroy of Nanking to recommend his candidate to the Chinese Government.
In my despatch No. 254 of the 5th September, 1902, I inclosed copy of a despatch of the 18th August from the British Acting Consul at Nanking which throws light upon the hesitation of the Viceroy to make a certain nomination that had been recommended to him. I have informed Sir Pelham Warren confidentially that I have no special desire to support the candidate therein referred to, and that a Chinese would be equally satisfactory,
Your Lordship will recollect that the ground of the opposition offered to the nomination in question was that it would give the British members of the Board, and their allies, a decided majority. I have been assured in Shanghae by leading members of the British community that unless we had such a majority, our interests would suffer at the hands of foreign combination; consequently, in their opinion the appointment of a British subject as Chinese Delegate was a sine qua non.
It is very much to be regretted that international feeling, which at Shanghae seems to be somewhat acute, should be allowed to interfere with the carrying out of a scheme which is for the general benefit of the commerce and shipping of all nations.
I have, &c.
ERNEST SATOW.
(Signed)
Inclosure in No. 1.
Sir E. Satow, Herr Mumm, and Mr. Conger to Baron Czikann.
M. le Doyen et cher Collègue,
Pékin, le 14 Décembre, 1903.
L'Article 6 du Protocole du 7 Septembre, 1901, stipule ainsi qu'il suit :- "L'élévation du tarif actuel sur les importations à 5 pour cent effectifs est consentie aux conditions ci-après :
"1. La conversion des droits ad valorem en droits spécifiques;
"2. L'amélioration du cours du Peiho et de celui du Whangpou avec la participation financière de la Chine.' L'Article 11 (b) stipule la création d'un Conseil Fluvial chargé de la direction et du contrôle des travaux de rectification du Whangpou et de
Page 135
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Page 135
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.].
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL,
No. 1.
134
[February 13.]
SECTION 1.
Sir E. Satow to the Marquess of Lansdowne.--(Received February 13, 1904.)
Confidential.)
(No. 435.
Peking, December 21, 1903. My Lord,
WITH reference to your Lordship's telegrams Nos. 193 and 200 of the 1st and 8th December respectively, instructing me to renew representations to the Chinese Government for the appointment of their Delegate to the Hwangpu Conservancy Board, I have the honour to inclose copy of a letter addressed to the Doyen of the Diplomatic Body by my German and United States' colleagues and myself, proposing that we should notify the intention of the Powers to convoke the Board without the Chinese Delegate, if any further delay occurred in his appointment.
The letter having been circulated to the foreigu Representatives, our proposal has been approved by the Italian, Belgian, and Netherlands Ministers. The Representa- tives of Russia, Corea, and Spain expressed no opinion, and the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires is absent.
The French Minister states that the Chinese Government having entered upon direct negotiations with the French Government, and, he believes, with other Governments also, with the object of taking on themselves the works necessary for the improvement of the Shanghae bar, he has asked for instructions, which he must wait for before taking part in any further steps on the part of the Diplomatic Body.
Baron von Mumm informs me that, early this year, the German Government was also approached on this subject.
I have not been able to discover that any similar communication was made to your Lordship.
I have requested Sir Pelham Warren to urge the Viceroy of Nanking to recom- mend his candidate to the Chinese Government.
In my despatch No. 254 of the 5th September, 1902, I inclosed copy of a despatch of the 18th August from the British Acting Consul at Nanking which throws light upon the hesitation of the Viceroy to make a certain nomination that had been re- commended to him. I have informed Sir Pelham Warren confidentially that I have no special desire to support the candidate therein referred to, and that a Chinese would be equally satisfactory,
Your Lordship will recollect that the ground of the opposition offered to the nomination in question was that it would give the British members of the Board, and their allies, a decided majority. I have been assured in Shanghae by leading members of the British community that unless we had such a majority, our interests would suffer at the hands of foreign combination; consequently, in their opinion the appoint- ment of a British subject as Chinese Delegate was a sine qué non.
It is very much to be regretted that international feeling, which at Shanghae seems to be somewhat acute, should be allowed to interfere with the carrying out of a scheme which is for the general benefit of the commerce and shipping of all nations.
I have, &c.
ERNEST SATOW.
(Signed)
Inclosure in No. 1.
Sir E. Satow, Herr Mumm, and Mr. Conger to Baron Czikann.
M. le Doyen et cher Collègue,
Pékin, le 14 Décembre, 1903. L'Article 6 du Protocole du 7 Septembre, 1901, stipule ainsi qu'il suit :- "L'élévation du tarif actuel sur les importations à 5 pour cent effectifs est consentie aux conditions ci-après :
"1. La conversion des droits ad valorem en droits spécifiques;
"2. L'amélioration du cours du Peiho et de celui du Whangpou avec la partici- pation financière de la Chine.' L'Article 11 (b) stipule la création d'un Conseil Fluvial chargé de la direction et du contrôle des travaux de rectification du Whangpou et de
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