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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
SOUTH-WEST CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL,
No. 1.
[September H
SEC842 ¡RECR
Sir,
India Office to Foreign Office.—(Received September 14 OCT 05/
India Office, September 6, 1905, WITH reference to Mr. Villiers' letter of the 1st August, 1904, on the subject of the relations between China and Kanjut, and of the frontier between Kashmir and the Chinese dominions, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Brodrick to inclose, for the con- sideration of the Marquess of Lansdowne, a copy of further correspondence with the Government of India on the subject.
Lord Lansdowne will see that, for the reasons explained in the 4th paragraph of their letter of the 26th Janiary last, the Government of India now propose to abandon all Hunza claims to Raskam and to the Taghdumbash, provided the Chinese Government agree
1. To sever entirely their connection with Hunza.
2. To recognize formally a frontier-line, which, starting from Peak Scheikovski, would follow the watershed of the Mustagh Range, with the exception of a projection in the vicinity of the Shingshal Pass, where, at a point about 6 miles south-west of the Oprang Pass, the line would leave the main watershed, run due east for about 5 miles, thence south-east to the Mustagh (wrongly called Oprang) River, which it would follow to a point about 4 miles above the junction of the stream from the Shingshal Pass, and thence, ascending the nearest high spur to the west, regain the main watershed. (A map showing the line claimed in 1899 in blue, and the deviations from it now proposed in red, is annexed.†)
3. To recognize Mr. Macartney as British Consul at Kashgar.
With regard to the question of effective control over the territory within the frontier it is proposed to claim, Lord Lansdowne will see that the Government of India consider that the advantage to be gained by the inclusion of a portion of the Taghdumbash Pamir would be incommensurate with the expense and difficulty of controlling it; but that, in the case of the Shingshal enclave, the Mir of Hunza has for many years main- tained a post at Darwaza.
Mr. Brodrick fully recognizes the importance which is attached by the Government of India to an early settlement with Chinn, in view of the uncertainty of the Chinese tenure of Kashgaria; but it has already been decided, on Sir E. Satow's advice, to defer action on the question of the Kashgar Consulate pending the conclusion of the negotia- tions regarding the Thibet Convention; and, inasmuch as this is an integral part of the general settlement proposed by the Government of India, he would not be prepared to press for immediate action in case Sir E. Satow should adhere to his former view,
He would therefore suggest that, if Lord Lansdowne should think fit, Sir E. Satow might be consulted as to the opportunity for addressing the Chinese Government apon the whole question.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
HORACE WALPOLE.
(Telegraphic.) P.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Mr. Brodrick to Government of India.
India Office, August 9, 1904. NORTHERN frontier. Your Secret letter of the 24th March last. The view of His Majesty's Government is that, unless your Government are in a position to exercise effective control up to the frontier to which we lay claim, it will not be advisable to make any communication regarding the boundary to the Chinese Government. Meanwhile they desire to be furnished with a report as to the measures which it would be practicable to adopt with a view to securing obscrvance of the frontier
Not reproduced.
* See Inclosure 2.
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