[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
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His Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghae has telegraphed to-day as follows:- "The next hearing of this case will not take place until after the receipt of the decision of the Diplomatic Body. I have been shown the evidence of a prima facie case, and at the next hearing this will be publicly produced before the Court.
No request for a private hearing of the case has been put forward by the Chinese authorities.'
The question will be considered by the Diplomatic Body at a meeting to be held on the 22nd instant.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[6017]
No. 1.
[February 23.1
SECTION 6.
C. 0.
10928
TRC 2
REGE 26 MAR 07
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received February 23.)
(No. 8.) Sir,
Peking, January 6, 1907. WITH reference to your telegram No. 186 of the 6th November and to your despatch No. 394 of the 10th November, I have the honour to inclose copy of a note addressed by me to Prince Ching on the 31st December, in which I lodged a claim for 2001. a-day, to run from the 1st January, as compensation for the losses sustained by the Peking Syndicate in consequence of the refusal of the Governor of Shansi to issue the permit required for the opening of coal-mines in Ping-ting Chou.
I also inclose, for your information, with reference to my despatch No. 496 of the 27th November, copy of a letter received to-day from Mr. George Brown, inclosing Minutes of three interviews with two Chinese officials who were sent to Tien-tsin by the Acting Provincial Treasurer of Shansi, his Excellency Ting Pao-ch'uan. These interviews took place on the 27th, 28th, and 31st December, and the Minutes would show that a further discussion with his Excellency would be futile unless on the basis of a complete abandonment of the Syndicate's rights in Shansi on payment of compensation.
In the present attitude of the Shansi authoritics and Chinese Government there appears to be no course left except the prosecution of the claim for damages.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure I in No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Prince Ch'ing.
Your Highness,
Peking, December 31, 1906. THE refusal of his Excellency the Governor of Shansi to issue a permit to the Peking Syndicate to open coal-mines in the Ping-ting Chou district as provided by Article 1 of the Syndicate's Agreement has been the subject of numerous and prolonged discussions during the past year between the Wai-wu Pu and this Legation. In an interview of the 19th October with the Grand Secretary Na-t'ung I reviewed the unjust treatment to which the Syndicate had been subjected by the Shansi authorities,. and the fruitless efforts which had been made by Sir Ernest Satow, Mr. Carnegie, and myself to induce the Chinese Government to exert their authority and compel the Governor of Shansi to perform his manifest duty in this matter. I made it perfectly plain to his Excellency that I considered further negotiation useless, and stated that I had no alternative but a reference to His Majesty's Government, when the question of compensation would at once arise. At his Excellency's request, I waited some days before taking this course, to enable him to consult your Highness, but with the clear understanding that I must be informed categorically whether or not the permit would be issued. As I was not told that the permit would be issued, I communicated with His Majesty's Government,
I am instructed to inform the Chinese Government that His Majesty's Government consider the delay in issuing the permit applied for in November 1905 to be a distinct breach of the Syndicate's Agreement, which was concluded under the sanction of an Imperial Decree, and to present a claim on behalf of the Syndicate for the damage they have suffered in consequence of this delay.
In accordance with my instructions, I have now the honour to inform your Highness that, dating from to-morrow, the 1st January, 1907, the Peking Syndicate will claim a sum of 2001. a-day damages for every day's delay in the issue of the permit, and that the Chinese Government will be held responsible for the payment of the claim. This figure is based on a moderate calculation of the injury at present suffered by the Syndicate's shareholders by the delay in regard to the Ping-ting Chou coalfields only,
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