CO129-331 - Public Offices - 1905 — Page 596

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

589

the facts and documents relating to the concessions they wish to annul, when the difficulties of the course they were urging would be apparent.

I recommended a firmer stand on the part of the Central Government and recalled the events of 1900 which followed from a weak and ill-judged temporising with a popular movement.

There was nothing to prevent the province from moving further and denouncing the loan contracts. I could not acquit Shêng of a share in this agitation and expressed the opinion that his was a sinister influence in railway undertakings.

In this His Excellency fully concurred and said that Sheng's mismanagement of the Lu-han Railway was a source of many embarrassments to the Chinese Government.

While recognising the truth of much that His Excellency said, I pointed out that it was none the less difficult for me to explain to His Majesty's Government the written communications of the Wai-Wu-Pu, which in point of reason were not defensible.

I had asked for the appointment of a negotiator to carry out the terms of the preliminary agreement for the Canton-Kowloon Railway, and was told in reply that the Cantonese wished to build the railway themselves: and as for the Soochow-Hangchow-Ningpo railway agreement I was informed officially that Shêng, acting under Imperial instructions, had called upon the British and Chinese Corporation to cancel it. Proceedings of this unreasonable type were bound to give rise to serious distrust in foreign countries. If demands for the forced abrogation of such agreements were listened to, He assured me that the Viceroy of Canton had been asked by the Wai-Wu-Pu to enter into negotiations with the British and Chinese Corporation, and when I pointed out that the Viceroy had made no sign of doing so, said that the delay was probably due to the Viceroy's ill-health. He declared the Wai-Wu-Pu innocent of any knowledge of the Decree charging Sheng with the cancelling of the Soochow-Hangchow-Ningpo Agreement, which had been engineered by Sheng and had come down through the Grand Council, and suggested that it might help matters if I called on His Excellency Chu Hung-chi (a president of the Wai-Wu-Pu who is also a member of the Grand Council) and had a private talk with him about there.

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589 the facts and documents relating to the concessions they wish to annul, when the difficulties of the course they were urging would be apparent. I recommended a firmer stand on the part of the Central Government and recalled the events of 1900 which followed from a weak and ill-judged temporising with a popular movement. There was nothing to prevent the province from moving further and denouncing the loan contracts. I could not acquit Shêng of a share in this agitation and expressed the opinion that his was a sinister influence in railway undertakings. In this His Excellency fully concurred and said that Sheng's mismanagement of the Lu-han Railway was a source of many embarrassments to the Chinese Government. While recognising the truth of much that His Excellency said, I pointed out that it was none the less difficult for me to explain to His Majesty's Government the written communications of the Wai-Wu-Pu, which in point of reason were not defensible. I had asked for the appointment of a negotiator to carry out the terms of the preliminary agreement for the Canton-Kowloon Railway, and was told in reply that the Cantonese wished to build the railway themselves: and as for the Soochow-Hangchow-Ningpo railway agreement I was informed officially that Shêng, acting under Imperial instructions, had called upon the British and Chinese Corporation to cancel it. Proceedings of this unreasonable type were bound to give rise to serious distrust in foreign countries. If demands for the forced abrogation of such agreements were listened to, He assured me that the Viceroy of Canton had been asked by the Wai-Wu-Pu to enter into negotiations with the British and Chinese Corporation, and when I pointed out that the Viceroy had made no sign of doing so, said that the delay was probably due to the Viceroy's ill-health. He declared the Wai-Wu-Pu innocent of any knowledge of the Decree charging Sheng with the cancelling of the Soochow-Hangchow-Ningpo Agreement, which had been engineered by Sheng and had come down through the Grand Council, and suggested that it might help matters if I called on His Excellency Chu Hung-chi (a president of the Wai-Wu-Pu who is also a member of the Grand Council) and had a private talk with him about there.

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589 the facts and documents relating to the concessions they wish to annul, when the difficulties of the course they were urging would be apparent. I recommended a firmer stand on the part of the Central Government and recalled the events of 1900 which followed from a weak and 111-judged temporising with a popular movement. there was nothing to prevent the provincee from mov- ing further and denouncing the loan contracte. I could not acquit Shêng of a share in this agitation and expressed the opinion that his was a sinister in- fluence in railway undertakings. In this His Excellency fully concurred and said that Sheng'e niemanagement of the Lu-han Railway was Bource of many embarrassments to the Chinese While recognising the truth the Government. of much that His Excellency said, I pointed out that it was none the less difficult for me to explain to His Majesty's Government the written communications of the Wal- Wu-Pu, which in point of reason were not defensible. I had asked for the appointment of a negotiator to carry out the terms of the preliminary agreement for the Canton-Kowloon Railway, and was told in reply that the Cantonese wished to build the railway themselves: and as for the Soochow-Hangchow-Ningpo railway agree- ment I was informed officially that Shêng, acting under Imperial instructions, had called upon the British and Chinese Corporation to cancel it. Proceedings of this unreasonable type were bound to give rise to serious distrust in foreign countries. If demands for the forced abrogation of such agreements were listened to, He assured me that the Viceroy of Can- ton had been asked by the Wal. Wu-Pu to enter into negotiations with the British and Chinese Corpora- tion, and when I pointed out that the Viceroy had made no sign of doing so, said that the delay was Probably due to the Viceroy's ill-health. He de- clared the Wai-Wu-Pu innocent of any knowledge of the Decree charging Sheng with the cancelling of the Socchow-Hangchow-Ningpo Agreement, which had been en- gineered by Sheng and had come down through the Grand Council, and suggested that it might help mat- ters if called on His Excellency Chu Hung-chi (a president of the Wai- Wu-Pu who is also a member of the Grand Council) and had a private talk with him there about

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589

the facts and documents relating to the concessions

they wish to annul, when the difficulties of the course

they were urging would be apparent.

I recommended a firmer stand on the part of the

Central Government and recalled the events of 1900

which followed from a weak and 111-judged temporising

with a popular movement.

there was nothing to prevent the provincee from mov-

ing further and denouncing the loan contracte. I

could not acquit Shêng of a share in this agitation

and expressed the opinion that his was a sinister in-

fluence in railway undertakings.

In this His Excellency fully concurred and said

that Sheng'e niemanagement of the Lu-han Railway was

Bource of many embarrassments to the Chinese

While recognising the truth

the

Government.

of much that His Excellency said, I pointed out that

it was none the less difficult for me to explain to

His Majesty's Government the written communications of

the Wal- Wu-Pu, which in point of reason were not defensible.

I had asked for the appointment of a negotiator to

carry out the terms of the preliminary agreement for

the Canton-Kowloon Railway, and was told in reply that

the Cantonese wished to build the railway themselves:

and as for the Soochow-Hangchow-Ningpo railway agree-

ment I was informed officially that Shêng, acting under

Imperial instructions, had called upon the British and

Chinese Corporation to cancel it. Proceedings of this

unreasonable type were bound to give rise to serious

distrust in foreign countries. If demands for the

forced abrogation of such agreements were listened to,

He assured me that the Viceroy of Can-

ton had been asked by the Wal. Wu-Pu to enter into

negotiations with the British and Chinese Corpora-

tion, and when I pointed out that the Viceroy had

made no sign of doing so, said that the delay was

Probably due to the Viceroy's ill-health. He de-

clared the Wai-Wu-Pu innocent of any knowledge of

the Decree charging Sheng with the cancelling of the

Socchow-Hangchow-Ningpo Agreement, which had been en-

gineered by Sheng and had come down through the

Grand Council, and suggested that it might help mat-

ters if called on His Excellency Chu Hung-chi (a

president of the Wai- Wu-Pu who is also a member of

the Grand Council) and had a private talk with him

there

about

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