CO129-343 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 311

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

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Gulf of Pechili. This would serve both the Chinese Railway in Liao Fisi and the purely Chinese Treaty port of Newchwang, with advantage to both the railway and customs revenue. The Chinese Railway is also about to construct a branch line to a coal mine at a place called Hsin Ch'iu, some 50 miles due north of Kou Pang Tzu. The line will leave the main line half-way between Kou Pang Tzu and Hsin Min Tun. The mine is said to be of great richness and requires a convenient shipping port. Newchwang will answer the purpose during the open season, but for the winter months some more adjacent place than Ching Wan Tao is desirable.

His Excellency seemed inclined to make serious inquiries as to the advisability of such a step.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

H. E. FULFORD.

CHINA TRADE.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[4404]

No. 1.

7526 [February 9.]

SECTION 38 FEB 07,

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.~(Received February 9, 1907.)

(No. 550. Confidential) Sir,

THE United States' Minister has been kind enough to allow me to peruse some

Peking, December 26, 1900. recent reports which he has received from his Consuls at Harbin and Mukden, and the information which they contained, although inaccurate in some respects, seemed to be sufficiently important to justify my sending an abstract of it to you. This I have the honour to inclose herewith.

I would especially invite your attention to the Harbin Consul's remarks upon the conditions of Russian trade there, which are typical of all Russian commercial enterprise in the East; to the statement of the Consul at Mukden on the privileged position which Japanese have acquired in that city and in Southern Manchuria generally; and to his definite assertion that the railway rates between Dalny and Ta Shih Ch'iao are only 2 sen a-mile, while from the latter place and Newchwaug north- ward they are 5 sen a-mile. This corroborates Mr. Fulford's contention, as reported in my despatch No. 542 of the 24th instant, of a differentiation of railway rates in favour of Dalny to the disadvantage of Newchwang.

I have, &c. (Signed)

J. N. JORDAN,

Inclosure in No. 1.

Abstract of Reports by United States' Consuls respecting Harbin and Mukden.

FROM Harbin it is reported that there still remain in North Manchuria between 50,000 and 60,000 Russian troops, about 30,600 of which are stationed in the vicinity of Harbin, between 10,000 and 15,000 near Bodune and Tsitsihar, about 6,000 around Kuanchentze or Kirin, and the balance in small garrisons along the Sungari, Nonni, and Mutaukiang Rivers. With the exception of these troops, the evacuation was completed about the 1st August. The number of Russian troops in Manchuria at the comnience. ment of the evacuation was estimated at 750,000. Of these about 225,000 Russian reserves and the Imperial Guard, estimated at 60,000, were sent back to Russia. The Siberian reserves, which numbered about 125,000, were released and returned to their homes. The balance of the forces, excepting those that remained in Manchuria, was withdrawn to different places in the Primorsk, Amur, and Transbaikal Provinces. The number of these troops, together with the Siberian soldiers now called up and those still remaining in Manchuria, is estimated to be about 400,000. Being stationed at convenient points to transportation, this force could be thrown into Manchuria within & short time should occasion arise to make it necessary.

From information from a military source the number of Russian troops that were in Manchuria at the commencement of the evacuation is placed at 1,200.000. Of these 300,000 Russian reserves, the Imperial Guard, numbering about 60,000, and several thousand staff and hospital corps were returned to Russia, 200,000 Siberian reserves were released and returned to their homes, 300,000 are still held in Manchuria and are quartered near Harbin, and the balance has been withdrawn to points in the Primorsk, Amur, and Transbaikal Provinces. These figures are, however, thought to be worth little consideration.

It is rumoured that the troops still in Manchuria are retained for the purposes of resisting the loss of prestige with the Chinese, and of backing up the Russian Minister's position in the negotiations now being conducted at Peking.

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