This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
14.
of lateral ranges. To make a boundary criss-cross across such a country would be a work of the utmost difficulty, even if we had not to expect Chinese obstruction and Kachin opposition.
But if the Chinese would consent to the principle of the watershed frontier, a small party, consisting, say, of a British survey officer and two or three picked assistants, a political officer able to speak Kachin, and the Teng Yueh Consul, with an escort of not more than half-a-dozen Ghurkas, could proceed from the Chinese side, where supplies and communications present no difficulties, to get a complete topographical survey of the country near the watershed. The Taotai would send a deputy to give any necessary assistance, and postulating the goodwill—or, at least, neutrality—of the Chinese officials, I do not think, judging from my own experience, that such a party would run any very serious risk—at any rate on the higher slopes near the water-divide; on their report it would be possible to judge accurately of the real weight of the Chinese claims, and if they had any weight, the best means of dealing with them, ... by a money settlement or by territorial concession on the N'maikha side.
Failing this, there would appear to be no course for the Government of Burmah to adopt except to insist on the watershed, and as soon as possible make the position good by administering up to the Ngaw Chang. The worst course of all, I am persuaded, would be a Boundary Commission on the lines of the former Commissions.
I may add that I got some details regarding the proceedings of the two cadets from the military college at Yunnan Fu who were sent down by the Yunnan Viceroy last year to inspect the frontier. They had no plane tables or instruments of any kind except a telescope. They went to Kao Liang, Manung Pum, and up to Pan Wa at the head of the Tien Tang Valley, and there their explorations ended; they stayed for some time at the house of Headman Yang, of Lower Ming Kwang, but did not go to the head of the valley. No doubt they got lists of the villages claimed by China on the N'maikha side.
Teng Yueh, April 16, 1904.
(Signed)
G. LITTON,
Acting Consul
SOUTH-WEST CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
India Office to Foreign Office.—(Received August 8.)
373
[August 8.]
SECTION 1.
India Office, August 6, 1904.
Sir,
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Brodrick to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Villiers' letter of the 19th July, asking for his observations upon a despatch from His Majesty's Consul-General at Yunnan-fu in which he inclosed a printed copy of a Memorandum on the subject of the Franco-Chinese Yunnan Railway Agreement, which he has compiled for the Government of India.
The views of the Government of India regarding this Agreement have not yet reached this Department. But, in the meantime, I am to say that the only provision which appears to Mr. Brodrick, as at present advised, to demand the attention of His Majesty's Government is that relating to the construction of branch lines by the French, which might conceivably be so used as to include lines in the neighbourhood of the Burma frontier, where the prior right of British enterprise should be secured.
As regards the telegram of the 1st July from His Majesty's Minister at Peking, inclosed with Mr. Campbell's letter of the 4th July, I am directed to state that Mr. Brodrick agrees that it would be premature to apply to the Chinese Government for a concession of a railway from Burma to Tali and Yunnan City, and thence to Szechuen. But should it appear that the French have any intention of asking for concessions for these lines, he thinks that the Chinese Government should be reminded of the rights we possess (under the Agreement with France of the 15th January, 1896) to equality of treatment with the French in the matter of railway construction in Yunnan and Szechuen, which rights, so far as Yunnan is concerned, were recognized in Prince Ching's note of the 16th March, 1902, inclosed with Sir E. Satow's despatch of the 20th March, 1902, No. 75.
I am, &c. (Signed) A. GODLEY.
8/51
In Collis
pruits to Str couf & Fo
Hongkong
Autt
Ank
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Rough Sketch Map to illustrate preceding Report.
[2116 h-1]
{This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
14.
of lateral ranges. To make a boundary criss-cross across such a country would be a work of the utmost difficulty, even if we had not to expect Chinese obstruction and Kachin opposition.
But if the Chinese would consent to the principle of the watershed frontier, a small party, consisting, say, of a British survey officer and two or three picked assistants, a political officer able to speak Kachin, and the Teng Yueh Consul, with an escort of not more than half-a-dozen Ghurkas, could proceed from the Chinese side, where supplies and communications piesent no difficulties, to get a complete topo- graphical survey of the country near the watershed. The Taotai would send a deputy to give any necessary assistance, and postulating the goodwill-or, at least, neutrality- of the Chinese officials, I do not think, judging from my own experience, that such a party would run any very serious risk-at any rate on the higher slopes near the water-divide; on their report it would be possible to judge accurately of the real weight of the Chinese claims, and if they had any weight, the best means of dealing with them, .., by a money settlement or by territorial concession on the N'maikha side.
Failing this, there would appear to be no course for the Government of Burmah to adopt except to insist on the watershed, and as soon as possible make the position good by administering up to the Ngaw Chang. The worst course of all, I am persuaded, would be a Boundary Commission on the lines of the former Commissions.
I may add that I got some details regarding the proceedings of the two cadets from the military college at Yunnan Fu who were sent down by the Yunnan Viceroy last year to inspect the frontier. They had no plane tables or instruments of any kind except a telescope. They went to Kao Liang, Manung Pum, and up to Pan Wa at the head of the Tien Tang Valley, and there their explorations ended; they stayed for some time at the house of Headman Yang, of Lower Ming Kwang, but did not go to the head of the valley. No doubt they got lists of the villages claimed by China on the N'maikha side.
Teng Yuch, April 16, 1904.
(Signed)
G. LITTON,
Acting Consul
SOUTH-WEST CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received August 8.)
373
[August 8.]
SECTION 1.
India Office, August 6, 1904.
Sir,
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Brodrick to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Villiers' letter of the 19th July, asking for his observations upon a despatch from His Majesty's Consul-General at Yunnan-fu in which he inclosed a printed copy of a Memorandum on the subject of the Franco-Chinese Yunnan Railway Agreement, which he has compiled for the Government of India.
The views of the Government of India regarding this Agreement have not yet reached this Department. But, in the meantime, I am to say that the only provision which appears to Mr. Brodrick, as at present advised, to demand the attention of His Majesty's Government is that relating to the construction of branch lines by the French, which might conceivably be so used as to include lines in the neighbourhood of the Burma frontier, where the prior right of British enterprise should be secured.
As regards the telegram of the 1st July from His Majesty's Minister at Peking, inclosed with Mr. Campbell's letter of the 4th July, I am directed to state that Mr. Brodrick agrees that it would be premature to apply to the Chinese Government for a concession of a railway from Burma to Tali and Yunnan City, and thence to Szechuen. But should it appear that the French have any intention of asking for concessions for these lines, he thinks that the Chinese Government should be reminded of the rights we possess (under the Agreement with France of the 15th January, 1896) to equality of treatment with the French in the matter of railway construction in Yunnan and Szechuen, which rights, so far as Yunnan is concerned, were recognized in Prince Ching's note of the 16th March, 1902, inclosed withi Sir E. Satow's despatch of the 20th March, 1902, No. 75.
I am, &c. (Signed) A. GODLEY.
8/51
In Collis
pruits to Str couf & Fo
Hongkong
Autt
Ank
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Rough Sketch Map to illustrate preceding Report.
[2116 h-1]
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