CO129-337 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1906 — Page 231

2

In the course of a conversation with my French colleague immediately after the receipt of Mr. Scott's reply, I was informed that the quid pro quo with which he hoped to negotiate a Concession for a tramway from Kuangchou Wan to Milne and thence to Yü-lin, about 60 kilom. in length, was the right to establish a custom-house at Kuang- chou Wan, after the recent precedent of Kiaochow, and I was given to understand that Mr. Scott's information was inaccurate. No application was being pressed for a railway from Samshui to Wuchow. He could not believe that M. Kahn had interfered in the manner reported, but he would write to him and warn him of what was evidently a mischievous statement à la Chinoise.

On the 31st December, during a private call at Tang Shao-Yi's house, Mr. C. W. Campbell learnt that no action had up to then been taken on my letter of the 27th December to the Wai-wu Pu. He urged that a telegram should be sent to the Viceroy in the desired sense, and Tang promised to see to this. Two days later he told Mr. Campbell, during his New Year's call at this Legation, that a telegram had been sent, but did not mention its purport. To-day be called to see me on various matters, and I asked him the nature of the instructions sent to Canton, and was told that they urged the Viceroy to conduct the negotiatious "satisfactorily" and in accordance with China's interests. Not being satisfied with these instructions, I suggested something more definite, and after a discussion in which Tang fully recognized the necessity of carrying out the terms of the Preliminary Agreement, I arranged to provide him with copies in Chinese and English of the proposed Agreements with the Hong Kong Government and the British and Chinese Corporation, in order that he might discuss their contents with his colleagues of the Wai-wu Pu.

I have, &c. (Signed)

ERNEST SATOW.

3

Meantime, on the 9th instant the Viceroy sent his Secretary to see me and explain that his Excellency was still seriously ill and unable to receive any visitors; and that under these circumstances it was impossible for his Excellency to enter into personal negotiations with the British and Chinese Corporation. I urged/ however, that in any case his Excellency should nominate a deputy to discuss matters with the agent of the Corporation, and now beg to inclose copy and translation of the reply which I have this day received from the Viceroy in answer to my formal application on the subject.

I am duly communicating with his Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong, so that the agent of the Corporation may come to Canton and meet the two deputies appointed by the Viceroy for the purpose.

During my interview with the Viceroy's Secretary on the 9th instant, the latter assured me that the Viceroy's wish was to secure the cancellation of the whole Canton- Kowloon Railway Agreement, and to have the railway constructed by Chinese with Chinese capital only. The Viceroy, he said, desired me to convey an appeal to you privately and confidentially to assist China in this respect, and especially to agree to a substantial increase of the tax on Indian opium, the proceeds of which would be devoted to constructing the line. The Viceroy complained that his position was rendered more difficult by the fact that the French Consul here and the French Minister in Peking claimed that whatever railway facilities or concessions were granted to British Companies, the same rights should be granted to them in respect of a railway from Kuangehou Wan into the interior.

My reply to this was that the Canton-Kowloon Railway Agreement was of loug standing, and that the Tonquin-Younan Railway Concession debarred the French from making any further claim in this respect.

I have, &c. (Signed)

JAMES SCOTT.

Inclosure in Not-

Wai-wu Pu to Sir E. Satow.

(Translation.)

Peking, 31st year, 11th month, 16th day Sir,

(December 12, 1905). WITH reference to your Excellency's recent conversation respecting the Canton- Kowloon Railway, in the course of which you said that, after having requested us to notify the Viceroy at Canton that he should start negotiations with the Corporation, the latter appointed a representative to discuss this question with the Viceroy, but that his Excellency had both excused himself on account of illness and had appointed no one to discuss the matter on his behalf, and that you therefore requested us to insist upon an explanation, we now have the honour to inform your Excellency that we at once telegraphed to the Viceroy urging him to appoint a representative to discuss the matter satisfactorily with the Corporation.

We have now received a telegram in reply from his Excellency stating that he had instructed an officer of his Foreign Bureau to make inquiries of His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General, and that the latter had informed him that the British and Chinese Corporation had appointed Mr. Ross to proceed to Hong Kong. This gentleman would be coming to Canton in a few days, and on his arrival his Excellency would appoint a representative to negotiate with him.

We accordingly have the honour to inform your Excellency in this sense.

We avail, &c. (Cards of Prince Ching, &c.)

Inclosure 2 in No

Consul-General Scott to Sir E. Satow.

(No. 63. Confidential.) Sir,

Canton, December 12, 1905.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 7th instant, but regret that a slight delay occurred owing to the fact that a mistake in one of the cypher groups necessitated the latter part of the telegram being repeated.

(Translation.)

Sie,

Inclosure 3 in No. 1.

Viceroy of Canton to Consul-General Scott.

Canton, December 11, 1905. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter with reference to the Canton-Kowloon Railway, requesting me to enter into negotiations personally with the British and Chinese Corporation, or else send a deputy to discuss matters.

I regret that I am far from recovered from my recent illness, and am unable to enter into personal negotiations.

If, however, the Corporation will send their agent to Canton, I will depute Mr. Wei, the Foreign Secretary, and Mr. Kung to meet him and discuss matters.

I shall be obliged if you will communicate to this effect with the Corporation.

Inclosure 4 in No. 1

Sir E. Satow to Prince Ch'ing,

I have, &c.

(Viceroy's seal.)

Your Highness,

Peking, December 27, 1905. ON the 12th December I had the honour to receive a letter from your Highness stating that you had telegraphed to the Viceroy of Canton urging him to delegate au official to discuss the question of the Canton-Kowloon Railway with a representative of the British and Chinese Corporation, and that you had received a telegram in reply to the effect that as soon as the Corporation's representative arrived in Canton his Excel- lency would appoint a deputy to negotiate with him.

From telegrams received lately from Canton and Hong Kong, I learn that the Viceroy of Canton did appoint two officials to meet Mr. Ross, the Corporation's representative; but that in the two interviews which had taken place they merely

[1865_aa-23]

B 2

227