[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[6296]
No. 1.
Foreign Office to Mr. F. W. For.
491
[March 5.]
SECTION 1.
C.0.
10928
REGE 25 MAR 07
Sir,
Foreign Office, March 5, 1907. I AM directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd ultimo, respecting the proposal of the China Missions Emergency Committee to send a deputation to China to inquire into, and report on, the bearing of the new conditions which are alleged to have recently arisen in China in connection with the question of missionary work.
I am to forward to you, in accordance with your request, letters introducing the members of the deputation to His Majesty's Minister at Peking and His Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghae.*
As regards your request that you may be empowered to give an assurance to Chinese officials that His Majesty's Government will be glad to consider any amend- ments in the wording of the clauses of existing Treaties which relate to missionaries, Sir E. Grey regrets that he is unable to authorize you to make any communication to Chinese officials with regard to the status of missionaries under Treaty. With the exception of Article XIII of the Treaty signed at Shanghae on the 5th September, 1902, in which Great Britain agrees to join in a Commission to investigate the missionary question, and, if possible, to devise ineans for securing permanent peace between converts and non-converts, British Treaties with China contain no provisions relating specially to missionaries; and the privileges enjoyed by British missionaries depend, in virtue of the British Treaty right to most-favoured-nation treatment, upon provisions in Treaties concluded between China and other Powers, notably on Article VI of the Treaty with France of 1860, which provides, among other things, that French missionaries may rent and purchase land in all the provinces, and erect buildings
thereon.
With regard to the question of opium prohibition, I am to state that His Majesty's Minister at Peking has informed the Chinese Government that His Majesty's Govern- ment, appreciating the benefits likely to accrue to the Chinese people from an effective control over the production of the drug and from a diminution in its consumption, are prepared to consider, in a sympathetic spirit, any specific proposals which the Chinese Government may wish to make in regard to the importation and taxation of Indian opium. Proposals have since been received from the Chinese Government, and His Majesty's Government are awaiting the views of the Government of India in regard to them. Until these have been received, Sir E. Grey is unable to make any further
statement.
I am, &c. (Signed) F. A. CAMPBELL.
*Letter of introduction to Sir J. Jordan; ditto to Sir P. Warren.
[2418 e-1]
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.