:
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His Majesty's Consul-General at the Board's request the appointment of this Commis- sion, and expressing my surprise at this unaccountable delay, their Excellencies promised to make inquiries, and to urge the Viceroy to dispatch the Taotais to Shanghae
at once.
Again, on the 20th July, I urged this matter on the attention of the Wai-wu Pu. Mr. Tong stated that he had done all he could to hasten the movements of the Taotais, but he would again telegraph to the Viceroy, who was ill, and had not replied to previous communications on the subject.
As the Wai-wn Pu are evidently unable or unwilling to put any further pressure on the Viceroy, I have instructed His Majesty's Consul at Nanking to do what he can to expedite matters there.
Meanwhile, I learnt from His Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghae that Yuan, ex-Taotai of Shanghae, was coming here apparently to take up his appointment as Governor of Peking, against which Sir Ernest Satow had protested pending the settlement of the Shanghae incident (see his despatch No. 101 of the 7th March). I spoke to Mr. Tong on the subject, and pointed out what a disagreeable impression would be produced on His Majesty's Government if this official were allowed to take up bis post before he had cleared himself of the charges brought against him. His Excellency said that Yüan had been sent to Canton to inquire into matters connected with the Canton-Hankow Bailway, and that it was absolutely necessary that he should present his report in person to the Emperor, as part of it required verbal explanations. On his assuring me that Yuan would not be allowed to take up his post, but would return to his home in Hunan as soon as his business in connection with the railway was finished, I withdrew my objections to his coming.
I have, &c.
Your Highness,
(Signed)
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
LANCELOT D. CARNEGIE,
Mr. Carnegie to Prince Ch'ing.
Peking, May 29, 1906.
IN a letter of the 27th March, Sir Ernest Satow reminded your Highness that he had received no answers to bis three notes, of the 3rd and 7th February and the 5th March, on the subject of the Mixed Court incident of the 8th December, and subsequent riots at Shanghae; and on the 2nd April your Highness replied that this question was a local one which could not be decided by the Wai-wu Pu, and that the Viceroy at Nanking had been requested by telegraph to take steps for a settlement locally.
In an interview of the 9th April, Sir Ernest Satow took occasion to point out the unsatisfactory nature of this reply, and dwelt on the extraordinary proceeding of transferring to an important post at the capital an official whom he had charged with being a chief promoter of the riots of the 18th December. He showed that, although he had remonstrated against this appointment in the name and by the instructions of His Majesty's Government, no notice had been taken of his remonstrance, nor of the previous notes in which he had traced the origin and history of the rioters and had asked that the Chinese authorities should be directed to compensate the sufferers by the riots.
The Grand Secretaries Na-t'ung and Ch'u Hung-chi and his Excellency Lien-Fang said that the transfer of Yüan Taotai to Peking was not a promotion but merely a change from the office of Provincial Judge of Kiangsu to another of equal rank; to which Sir Ernest Satow replied that his transfer, in plain disregard of the fact that he had not been cleared of the charge of promoting the riots, could only be looked upon as an act of discourtesy to His Majesty's Government.
Their Excellencies afterwards mentioned that they understood that the Taotai Lo from Nanking had been to see Sir Ernest Satow, and they supposed that he had discussed the question of compensation with Sir Ernest. To this Sir Ernest replied that Taotai Lo had called upon him privately, but that he could not think of discussing with that official a question on which he had addressed notes to the Wai-wa Pu, to which notes he expected answers for the information of His Majesty's Government.
Their Excellencies then proposed to telegraph to the Viceroy of Nanking to arrange the question of compensation with His Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghae, but Sir Ernest Satow refused to agree to this, and insisted that the principle of compensation
3
must first be discussed and settled between the Head of His Majesty's Mission and the Wai-wu Pu.
Their Excellencies finally consented to telegraph to the Viceroy of Nanking for his report and proposals for settlement, and promised to inform Sir Ernest Satow of the result.
Some fifty days have passed since this promise was given to His Majesty's Minister, and I have in the meantime received a telegram of inquiry from His Majesty's Govern- ment which obliges me to address your Highness and again request the favour of a reply to Sir Ernest Satow's notes. Nearly four months have elapsed since the first of these was sent to the Wai-wn Pu, and there has been enough time to obtain the reports of the Viceroy of Nanking and to come to a decision.
(No. 56.)
I avail, &c. (Signed)
L. D. CARNEGIE.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Mr. Carnegie to Consul-General Sir P. Warren.
Sir,
Peking, June 14, 1906. WITH reference to my telegram No. 51 of the 8th instant, instructing you to negotiate with Lo Taotai and the Shanghac Taotai for the settlement of the claims for compensation for losses incurred by British subjects during the riots which took place at Shanghae in December last and for the punishment of the officials and ringleaders concerned, I beg to inform you that I have explained to my colleagues the nature of the instruction I have sent you and have told them that the two Taotais had been directed by the Viceroy of Nanking to settle the municipal and non-British claims with the authorities concerned,
I pointed out also to my colleague that, as we had throughout taken the initiative in urging on the Chinese Government the necessity of giving compensation and of taking steps to punish such officials and rioters as might be found guilty, you were justified in negotiating on these latter points alone, as it was British property which had chiefly suffered. I added that, as the punishment of the above-mentioned persons was a matter which interested us all alike, it would be well if their respective Consuls were instructed to support you in any way you might think desirable in order to obtain satisfaction. My German, American, Russian, French, Belgian, Italian, and Austrian colleagues have promised to send instructions in the above sense to their respective Consular Representatives at Shanghae.
I am, &c.
L. D. CARNEGIE.
(Signed)
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