This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
C.O.
[August 11, 1904]
SECTION REC? 432
The 22 AUG 04
No. 1.
(No. 219.)
Sir E. Satow to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received August 1.)
My Lord,
Peking, June 16, 1904.
IN continuation of my despatch No. 203 of the 8th instant reporting the views expressed by the foreign Representatives on the proposals of the Viceroy of Nanking with regard to the Whangpoo River Conservancy, I have the honour to transmit translation of a note which the Wai-wu Pu have addressed to the foreign Representatives containing proposals which differ but slightly from those of the Viceroy.
The first of these proposals, that the requisite funds should be set apart from the Customs revenue, is clearly inadmissible, since the larger part of that revenue is pledged for the service of the foreign loans of China, and the whole of the balance is pledged for the service of the indemnity by Article 6 of the Protocol of the 7th September, 1901.
The Chinese Government is not at liberty to dispose of any portion of it for another purpose.
In the second place, I beg to point out that these proposals contain no provision for preventing the continuance of encroachment on the river by riparian owners. It is a fact that within the last fifty years the width of the stream, and consequently the area of the port at Shanghae, have been diminished to the extent of nearly one-half by unauthorized filling in of the foreshore. The scheme annexed to the Protocol provided the means of putting down this practice.
Another point is that the scheme in question gave powers to the Board to expropriate land along the river bank if required for the port works, especially between the foreign Settlements and Wusung. This also is a necessary part of any workable scheme.
These two matters cannot be dealt with by any purely Chinese authority. A Commission containing a strong foreign element, whose power to carry out its decisions cannot be disregarded, is indispensable for this purpose, and Articles 14, 15, and 16, and 28 and 29 of Annex No. 17 to the Protocol were framed to meet it. Any new scheme ought to include them.
Fourthly, what satisfactory guarantee can be given by China, that having failed to carry out an arrangement recorded in the Protocol, she will faithfully execute a promise made with less formality?
Finally, it is to be observed that since the proposals in their present shape are insufficient to satisfy the Powers interested in the improvement of the Shanghae waterways, further negotiations would be necessary before they could be accepted; and it is to be anticipated that such negotiations, judging by our experience in connection with this question in 1901, could not be speedily concluded. To entertain the present proposals of the Chinese Government will inevitably lead to much further delay, amounting to years, before the works can be even commenced. It is consequently desirable, in my opinion and in that of the colleagues with whom I have been acting, that the Powers should unanimously reject them, and insist upon the terms of the Protocol being carried out.
But should the French Government continue to refuse giving the necessary instructions to their Representative at Peking, we shall, I fear, have no other alternative than to enter upon a discussion of the Chinese proposals, though whether the other Powers interested will consent to do this appears to me rather doubtful.
I have, &c.
(Signed) ERNEST SATOW.
[2103 -2]
--་་ ་་ "
!
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty'? Government.)
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
C.0.
[August 1.1 25509
SECTION REC? 432
The 22 AUG 04
No. 1.
{
(No. 219.)
Sir E. Satow to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received August 1.)
My Lord,
Peking, June 16, 1904. IN continuation of my despatch No. 203 of the 8th instant reporting the views expressed by the foreign Representatives on the proposals of the Viceroy of Nanking. with regard to the Whangpoo River Conservancy, I have the honour to transmit translation of a note which the Wai-wu Pu have addressed to the foreign Represen- tatives containing proposals which differ but slightly from those of the Viceroy.
The first of these proposals, that the requisite funds should be set apart from the Customs revenue, is clearly inadmissible, since the larger part of that revenue is pledged for the service of the foreign loans of China, and the whole of the balance is pledged for the service of the indemnity by Article 6 of the Protocol of the 7th September, 1901.
The Chinese Government is not at liberty to dispose of any portion of it for another purpose.
In the second place, I beg to point out that these proposals contain no provision for preventing the continuance of encroachment on the river by riparian owners. It is a fact that within the last fifty years the width of the stream, and consequently the area of the port at Shanghae, have been diminished to the extent of nearly one-half by unauthorized filling in of the foreshore. The scheme annexed to the Protocol provided the means of putting down this practice.
Another point is that the scheme in question gave powers to the Board to expropriate land along the river bank if required for the port works, especially between the foreign Settlements and Wusung. This also is a necessary part of any workable scheme.
These two matters cannot be dealt with by any purely Chinese authority. A Commission containing a strong foreign element, whose power to carry out its decisions cannot be disregard, is indispensable for this purpose, and Articles 14, 15, and 16, and 28 and 29 of Annex No. 17 to the Protocol were framed to meet it. Any new scheme ought to include them.
Fourthly, what satisfactory guarantee can be given by China, that having failed to carry out an arrangement recorded in the Protocol, she will faithfully execute a promise made with less formality?
Finally, it is to be observed that since the proposals in their present shape are insufficient to satisfy the Powers interested in the improvement of the Shanghae waterways, further negotiations would be necessary before they could be accepted; and it is to be anticipated that such negotiations, judging by our experience in connection with this question in 1901, could not be speedily concluded. To entertain the present proposals of the Chinese Government will inevitably lead to much further delay, amounting to years, before the works can be even commenced. It is consequently desirable, in my opinion and in that of the colleagues with whom I have been acting, that the Powers should unanimously reject them, and insist upon the terms of the Protocol being carried out.
But should the French Government continue to refuse giving the necessary instruc- tions to their Representative at Peking, we shall, I fear, have no other alternative than to enter upon a discussion of the Chinese proposals, though whether the other Powers interested will consent to do this appears to me rather doubtful.
I have, &c. (Signed) ERNEST SATOW.
[2103 -2]
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.