[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[24079]
C. J.
586
30958
[July 16.]
RECEIVED
REG 22 AUG 06
SECTION 1.
No. 1.
(No. 250.)
Sir,
Mr. Carnegie to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received July 16.)
Peking, May 31, 1906.
I HAVE the honour to forward to you herewith copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Consul at Ichang, reporting on a scheme put forward by a certain Mr. Meischke-Smith for the establishment of steam navigation on the Upper Yang-tsze.
I beg leave to draw your attention to p. 2 of this despatch, where Mr. Fox states that the proposals reported in his despatches Nos. 16 and 18 of last year (copies of which were forwarded to you in Sir E. Satow's despatch No. 451 of the 26th December) for improvements on the Upper Yang-tsze to be undertaken by the Chinese authorities themselves are apparently in abeyance, and likely to remain so, as the Japanese Government, through their Consul at Shashih, have objected to the proposed erection of hauling appliances as prejudicing their Treaty right to undertake such works themselves.
I have the honour to forward herewith a copy of a further despatch from Mr. Fox in reply to a request made to him by Sir E. Satow to furnish further information on the subject and his authority for making the statements contained in his previous despatch.
I have informed Mr. Fox that his interpretation of the instruction conveyed to him in Sir E. Satow's despatch of the 20th December, a copy of which was inclosed in his despatch No. 451 to you of the 26th December, is correct.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
LANCELOT D. CARNEGIE,
(No. 7. Confidential.)
Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul Fox to Sir E. Satow.
Ichang, April 6, 1906.
MR. W. MEISCHKE-SMITH, a civil engineer in the employ of the Asiatic Petroleum Company of London, has recently paid a visit to Ichang in connection with a scheme for the establishment of steam navigation on the Upper Yang-tsze. Mr. Smith, who two years ago made an exhaustive survey of the Yang-tsze Rapids, and who has considerable experience of inland water navigation in other parts of the world, notably on the French Rhône, has his Company's permission to represent the interests of a French Syndicate, called "La Société Française de Setchouan,” who are concessionnaires of coal and other mines in that province. This Company is now apparently in liquidation—at any rate, it is taking no steps to develop its Concessions. The interested parties, who include the French Rothschilds, now propose to form a new Company, to be called "Société Anonyme de Navigation du Haut Yang-Tsé," and the promoters have given Mr. Smith full powers to enter into preliminary negotiations with the Chinese authorities. No Concession will be asked for, but the operations of the Company, for the present at any rate, will be limited to the placing of steamers on the Upper River and the erection of hauling appliances through the rapids in the terms of Article V of the British Commercial Treaty. Mr. Smith thinks he will have no difficulty in obtaining the approval of the Imperial Maritime Customs and the issue of satisfactory regulations, as Sir Robert Hart has verbally assured him of his interest in the scheme and promised his support.
The proposals reported in my despatches Nos. 16 and 18 of the 19th and 29th November, 1905, for improvements on the Upper Yang-tsze to be undertaken by the Chinese authorities themselves are apparently in abeyance, and likely to remain so, as the Japanese Government, through their Consul at Shashih, have objected to ...
[2081 q-1]
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.}
CHINA TRADE.
·CONFIDENTIAL.
[24079]
C. J.
586
30958
[July 16.]
RECE
SECTION 1.
REG 22 AUG 06
No. 1.
}
(No. 250.)
Sir,
Mr. Carnegie to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received July 16.)
Peking, May 31, 1906.
I HAVE the honour to forward to you herewith copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Consul at Ichang, reporting on a scheme put forward by a certain Mr. Meischke - Smith for the establishment of steam navigation on the Upper Yang-tszo.
I beg leave to draw your attention to p. 2 of this despatch, where Mr. Fox states that the proposals reported in his despatches Nos. 16 and 18 of last year (copies of which were forwarded to you in Sir E. Satow's despatch No. 451 of the 26th Decem- ber) for improvements on the Upper Yang-tsze to be undertaken by the Chinese authorities themselves are apparently in abeyance, and likely to remain so, as the Japanese Government, through their Consul at Shashib, have objected to the proposed erection of hauling appliances as prejudicing their Treaty right to undertake such works themselves.
I have the honour to forward herewith a copy of a further despatch from Mr. Fox in reply to a request made to him by Sir E. Satow to furnish further infor- mation on the subject and his authority for making the statements contained in his previous despatch.
I have informed Mr. Fox that his interpretation of the instruction conveyed to him in Sir E. Satow's despatch of the 20th December, a copy of which was inclosed in his despatch No. 451 to you of the 26th December, is correct.
I have, &e. (Signed)
LANCELOT D. CARNEGIE,
(No. 7. Confidential.) Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul Fox to Sir E. Satow.
MR. W. MEISCHKE-SMITH, a civil engineer in the employ of the Asiatic
Ichang, April 6, 1906. Petroleum Company of London, has recently paid a visit to Ichang in connection with a scheme for the establishment of steam navigation on the Upper Yang-tszc. Mr. Smith, who two years ago made an exhaustive survey of the Yang-tsze Rapids, ard who has considerable experience of inland water navigation in other parts of the world, notably on the French Rhône, has his Company's permission to represent the interests of a French Syndicate, called "La Société Française de Setchouan,” who are concessionnaires of coal and other mines in that province. This Company is now apparently in liquidation-at any rate, it is taking no steps to develop its Concessions. The interested parties, who include the French Rothschilds, now propose to form a new Company, to be called "Société Anonyme de Navigation du Haut Yang-Tsé,' and the promoters have given Mr. Smith full powers to enter into preliminary negotiations with the Chinese authorities. No Concession will be asked for, but the operations of the Company, for the present at any rate, will be limited to the placing of steamers on the Upper River and the erection of hauling appliances through the rapids in the terms of Article V of the British Commercial Treaty. Mr. Smith thinks he will have no difficulty in obtaining the approval of the Imperial Maritime Customs and the issue of satisfactory regulations, as Sir Robert Hart has verbally assured him of his interest in the scheme and promised his support.
$3
The proposals reported in my despatches Nos. 16 and 18 of the 19th and 29th November, 1905, for improvements on the Upper Yang-tsze to be undertaken by the Chinese authorities themselves are apparently in abeyance, and likely to remain 30, as the Japanese Government, through their Consul at Shashih, have objected to
[2081 q-1]
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