CO129-331 - Public Offices - 1905 — Page 215

This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

SOUTH-WEST CHINA,

CONFIDENTIAL.

No. 1.

210 [August 14.]

SECTION 1.

Consul-General Scott to the Marquess of Lansdowne.~(Received August 14.)

(No. 21.) My Lord,

Canton, July 8, 1905. I HAVE the honour to forward herewith copy of a despatch which I have addressed to His Majesty's Minister in Peking, on the subject of steam navigation on the upper reaches of the West River.

Inclosure in No. 1.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

JAMES SCOTT.

(No. 34.)

Consul-General Scott to Sir E. Satow.

Canton, July 6, 1905. WITII reference to the running of steam launches on the upper reaches of the West River, I beg to report that, on receipt of your telegraphic instructions of the 9th ultimo, I endeavoured to arrange for an interview with the Viceroy. But his Excellency, who has been on sick leave for the past two months. was unable to reccive me, and, as reported in my telegram of the 20th ultimo, sent his Secretary to discuss the matter.

The Viceroy, through his Secretary, claimed that the Province of Kuangsi was still disturbed, and that it was impossible for him, until he had reported to the Throne The complete pacification of the province, to allow steam launches to run on the upper reaches of the West River, as now desired. Pressed on this point, the Viceroy's Becretary admitted that the Viceroy's difficulty was to secure the signature of the Governor to such a Memorial. I represented that the situation in Kuangsi was normal, and in proof thereof pointed out that two launches were already making the regular run to Posc, under the sanction of the Wuchow Taotai, who was evidently satisfied that there was no danger to be apprehended. But the result of my negotiations ended in the Viceroy's proposing two conditions beyond which he refused to move :-

1. He required that, should piracy or other disturbances arise, steam navigation should cease.

2. That for any act of piracy on a British launch the Chinese authorities should be held exempt from all liability whatsoever.

Subsequently, on the 2nd ultimo, I received your further telegram, the contents of which I communicated to the Viceroy as follows:--

"As regards the first condition, His Majesty's Minister is ready to discuss and arrange for the temporary suspension of British steam-launch navigation, should such disturbances arise as compel the authorities to call out troops. As regards the second condition, His Majesty's Minister points out that it would, if accepted, absolve the Chinese Government from its first duty as a Government, namely, the suppression of piracy and the maintenance of order, and it is too much to ask His Majesty's Minister to agree to such a condition. Each case of piracy should be dealt with on its own merits."

At a further interview which I had with the Viceroy's Secretary, he explained that his Excellency was willing to agree to your amendment of the first condition; Bubsequently, however, after nearly a week of negotiations, the Viceroy's Secretary returned and handed me a draft of the Viceroy's final conditions which he urged me to telegraph to you.

These conditions I found to be nothing more or less than the

Viceroy's original proposals with the insertion of an additional clause in the second

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