CO129-337 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1906 — Page 700

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On the 16th June I received a private letter from Mr. Tong stating that the Chinese Government had decided that the Wai-wu Pu, together with a deputy from Canton, should carry on the negotiations for the Canton-Kowloon Railway with a representative of the British and Chinese Corporation, and that as soon as the deputy arrived they would be ready to begin.

In acknowledging the receipt of this letter I told his Excellency that I was addressing a note, copy of which I have the honour to inclose, to the Wai-wu Pu, again pressing for a negotiator, and asking for some assurance in regard to the Whampoa scheme in order to have the information he had given me in an official form. The following day I received a note from the Wai-wu Pu (translation inclosed) to the same effect as Mr. Tong's private letter. I immediately communicated its contents to the British and Chinese Corporation at Shanghae, as Mr. Bland is absent from Peking just now, and dispatched my telegram No. 139 of the 18th July to you. Although my note of the previous day must have been received prior to the dispatch of their note, the Wai-wo Pu made no reference to it nor to the question of Whampoa; but in regard to the latter Mr. Tong wrote again to me privately, and said that when the deputy from Canton arrived the question could be discussed. I thought it as well, however, in mention the matter to the Wai-wu Pu last Friday. I was told that they had no news, but would make inquiries. I was also informed that two deputies were coming from Canton for the railway negotiations.

In regard to the Whampoa scheme, my first inquiry on the subject, contained in the note inclosed in my despatch No, 227, was addressed to the Wai-wn Pu in conse- quence of a telegram from the Governor of Hong Kong, who stated that from articles in the press and from other information he was satisfied that serious steps were being taken to carry out the project. His Excellency's despatch on the same subject arrived soon afterwards, but mentioned newspaper extracts only. When, therefore, Mr. Tong, at his private interview with Mr. Campbell, stated that he attached little or no importance to these rumours, I thought it well to address a despatch to Sir Matthew Nathan, of which I inclose copy, requesting his Excellency to be good enough to furnish me with the nature of the information to which he alluded in his telegram.

I have also requested His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton to at once inform Sir Matthew Nathan and myself should he have any reason to believe that the Whampoa scheme is likely to take any practical shape.

I am sending a copy of this despatch to the Governor of Hong Kong.

I have, &c. (Signed)

LANCELOT D. CARNEGIE,

(Translation.)

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Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

Wai-wu Pu to Mr. Carnegie.

26th day

Kuang Hsü, 32nd year, 5th moon, Sir,

(July 17, 1906). WE have the honour to inform you, with regard to the Canton-Kowloon Railway Agreement, that this Board have notified the Viceroy at Canton by telegraph that it would be negotiated by the Board and the British and Chinese Corporation's repre- sentative, together with a representative of the province to be sent to Peking as adviser.

When this officer arrives we shall not fail to inform you. In the meantime, we have the honour to request you to communicate this information to the Corporation for their guidance.

We avail, &c.

(Cards of Prince Ch'ing and Ministers of the Wai-wu Pu.)

Inclosure 3 in No. 1.

Mr. Carnegie to Sir M. Nathan.

(Confidential.) Sir,

Peking, July 7, 1996. WITH reference to your Excellency's despatch, Secret, of the 10th May, and your telegram of the 11th May on the subject of a proposed railway connecting Canton with Whampoa, I have the honour to state that, according to my information, this project was mooted by the Chang referred to in Sir E. Satow's telegram of the 18th April, 1905, to Lord Lansdowne, but that the Cantonese gentry objected to his having anything to do with it, and that nothing has been done. I am assured that the Chinese Government know nothing officially about it. Your Excellency's despatch of the 10th May mentions newspaper articles only, but in your telegram of the 11th May you refer to other information which would indicate that serious steps were being taken in the matter. It would be some assistance to me if your Excellency would be so good as to inform me of the nature of this information.

I ain communicating a copy of this despatch to His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton

I have, &c.

(Signed) L. D. CARNEGIE.

Your Highness,

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

Mr. Carnegie to the Wai-wu Pu.

Peking, July 16, 1906. WITH reference to the question of appointing a negotiator to discuss the final Agreement for the Canton-Kowloon Railway with the representative of the British aud Chinese Corporation, which has formed the subject of frequent conversations between us, I have the honour to draw attention to the fact that I have not yet received an intimation of the Board's views on this matter, and I shall be glad if I may be favoured with their decision.

In view also of telegraphic inquiries from His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs respecting the Chinese project of building a railway from Canton to Whampoa, which would be an infraction of the Preliminary Agreement with the British and Chinese Corporation, I have the honour to request that I may be informed whether the Chinese Government has directed the Viceroy at Canton to consider this project no further.

I avail, &c. (Signed)

L. D. CARNEGIE.