This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
# SOUTH-WEST CHINA.
## CONFIDENTIAL
No. 1.
4237
[September 24]
SECTION
REGE 8 FEB 04]
46
C
India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received September 24.)
India Office, September 23, 1903.
WITH reference to the correspondence regarding the provisional boundary between Burmah and China in the N'Maikha region, ending with your covering letter of the 3rd June last, transmitting Mr. Townley's telegram, I am directed by Lord George Hamilton to inclose, for Lord Lansdowne's information, a copy of a letter from the Government of India, dated the 27th August, and inclosures.
That Government recommend that a clear intimation should be made not only to the Chinese Government, but also to the local authorities in Yunnan, that His Majesty's Government claim as their frontier in this region the watershed of all streams that drain into the N'Maikha from the east, and that they will not be responsible for the consequences if that boundary is violated.
I am also to point out that more recent explorations have shown that the description of the provisional boundary used by Sir C. MacDonald in his note to the Tsung-li-Yamên of the 28th July, 1898, and in subsequent communications to the Chinese Government, viz., "the watershed between the N'Maikha and the Salween rivers," is applicable only to the northern portion, and may have led the Chinese authorities to suppose that His Majesty's Government intended to claim certain Chinese Settlements which are said to exist on the upper waters of the Shweli (Lung Chiang) River.
A full description of the boundary claimed by the Government of India is given in the inclosures to Sir A. Godley's letter of the 17th April, 1901, of which a copy is inclosed for ready reference.
In conclusion, I am to say that Lord George Hamilton would commend the proposal of the Government of India to Lord Lansdowne's favourable consideration.
I am, &c. (Signed)
HORACE WALPOLE.
Inclosure 1. in No. 1.
Government of India to Lord G. Hamilton.
(Secret.) My Lord,
Simla, August 27, 1903.
WE have the honour to forward, for your Lordship's information, copies of the papers described in the attached list regarding matters connected with the Burmo-Chinese frontier on the east of the N'Maikha River.
2. On the 2nd April last your Lordship informed us by telegram that His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking had been instructed to ask for a reply to Sir Ernest Satow's note of the 18th September, 1902, and we have since received a copy of the communication which, on the 10th April last, Prince Ching handed to Mr. Townley in response to this request. The document, however, does not carry the negotiations beyond the point which they had reached more than three years ago. The claims which are now advanced to Tzu Chu and other places are practically identical with those urged by the Tsung-li-Yamên in May 1900*; and recognition is still withheld from the boundary which, after sufficient investigation, we have suggested as alike the most convenient and the most consistent with the respective limits of past control. During the recent visit of Sir Ernest Satow to Burmah, the Lieutenant-Governor took the opportunity to discuss the question with the Minister, and has now submitted his recommendations in the telegram, dated the 24th July, and the letter, dated the 10th August, of which copies are inclosed. We agree that the course suggested is the only one which, in the circumstances, is likely to lead to any practical result, and we trust that the proposals will be accepted by His Majesty's Government.
* Vide their note, dated May 10; copy received with Secretary's letter, dated July 20, 1900.
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This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
SOUTH-WEST CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL
No. 1.
4237
[September 24€)
SECTION
REGE 8 FEB 04]
46
C
India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received September 24.)
India Office, September 23, 1903. WITH reference to the correspondence regarding the provisional boundary between Burmah and China in the N'Maikha region, ending with your covering letter of the 3rd June last, transmitting Mr. Townley's telegram, I am directed by Lord George Hamilton to inclose, for Lord Lansdowne's information, a copy of a letter from the Government of India, dated the 27th August, and inclosures.
That Government recommend that a clear intimation should be made not only to the Chinese Government, but also to the local authorities in Yunnan, that His Majesty's Government claim as their frontier in this region the watershed of all streams that drain into the N'Maikha from the east, and that they will not be responsible for the consequences if that boundary is violated.
I am also to point out that more recent explorations have shown that the descrip- tion of the provisional boundary used by Sir C. MacDonald in his note to the Tsung-li- Yamên of the 28th July, 1898, and in subsequent communications to the Chinese Government, viz., "the watershed between the N'Maikha and the Salween rivers," is applicable only to the northern portion, and may have led the Chinese authorities to suppose that His Majesty's Government intended to claim certain Chinese Settlements which are said to exist on the upper waters of the Shweli (Lung Chiang) River.
A full description of the boundary claimed by the Government of India is given in the inclosures to Sir A. Godley's letter of the 17th April, 1901, of which a copy ig inclosed for ready reference.
In conclusion, I am to say that Lord George Hamilton would cominend the proposal of the Government of India to Lord Lansdowne's favourable consideration.
I am, &c. (Signed)
HORACE WALPOLE.
Inclosure 1. in No. 1.
Government of India to Lord G. Hamilton.
(Secret.) My Lord,
Simla, August 27, 1903. WE have the honour to forward, for your Lordship's information, copies of the papers described in the attached list regarding matters connected with the Burmo- Chinese frontier on the east of the N'Maikha River.
2. On the 2nd April last your Lordship informed us by telegram that His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking had been instructed to ask for a reply to Sir Eruest Satow's note of the 18th September, 1902, and we have since received a copy of the communica- tion which, on the 10th April last, Prince Ching handed to Mr. Townley in response to this request. The document, however, does not carry the negotiations beyond the point which they had reached more than three years ago. The claims which are now advanced to Tzu Chu and other places are practically identical with those urged by the Tsung-li-Yamên in May 1900*; and recognition is still withheld from the boundary which, after sufficient investigation, we have suggested as alike the most convenient and the most consistent with the respective limits of past control. During the recent visit of Sir Ernest Satow to Burmah, the Lieutenant-Governor took the opportunity to discuss the question with the Minister, and has now submitted his recommendations in the telegram, dated the 24th July, and the letter, dated the 10th August, of which copies are inclosed. We agree that the course suggested is the only one which, in the circumstances, is likely to lead to any practical result, and we trust that the proposals will be accepted by His Majesty's Government.
* Vide their note, dated May 10; copy received with Secretary's letter, dated July 20, 1900.
[2260 aa-1]
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