CO129-343 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 613

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.] C0.

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL,

[9425]

(No. 60.) Sir,

No. 1.

13726

[March 23.]

19 JPF 07

SECTION 6.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received March 23.)

Peking, February 4, 1907, WITH reference to my despatch No. 31 of the 21st January, I have the honour to inclose, for your information, copies of correspondence relating to the affairs of the Peking Syndicate in Shansi Province.

As regards the proposed visit of Mr. Alexander Reid, the Syndicate's engineer- in-chief, to Pingtingchow to collect specimens of coal, iron ore, and limestone, which the Wai-wu Pu desired me to prevent, I felt that it was not possible to listen to the Chinese objection without serious prejudice to the Syndicate's interests in Shansi. An agent of the Syndicate, Mr. Stewart, is already residing in the district, and it seems to me altogether unreasonable that Mr. Reid should not be allowed to go there. I have, however, warned the Agent-General that Mr. Reid should exercise care and prudence in fulfilling the object of his journey.

I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

Mr. G. Brown to Sir J. Jordan.

Your Excellency,

Tien-tsin, January 8, 1907. IN my letter of the 18th December, 1906, I had the honour to inform your Excellency that this Syndicate was arranging to carry into effect the Agreement for smelting works in Shansi, dated Peking the 3rd July, 1905, and that I had made a communication to the Wai-wu Pu in this sense.

As a necessary preliminary, I am directed by the Board of Directors to collect, for examination and analysis in London, specimens of coal, iron ore, and limestone, from the district of Pingtingchow in the area covered by our Agreement of 1898, For this purpose, where the smelting works are likely to be established. Mr. Alexander Reid, the Syndicate's engineer-in-chief, is shortly proceeding to the locality. Your Excellency may think it advisable, in view of recent events, to notify the Chinese Government of the object of Mr. Reid's journey. He will hold an ordinary passport, and his stay in the Prefecture is not likely to exceed a week

or two.

I have, &c. (Signed) GEORGE BROWN,

Agent-General.

Your Highness,

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Prince Ching.

January 14, 1907.

I AM informed by Mr. George Brown, Agent-General of the Peking Syndicate, that Mr. Reid, the Syndicate's engineer-in-chief, is shortly proceeding to Pingting- chow for the purpose of collecting, for examination and analysis in London, specimens Mr. Reid already has a passport, of the coal, iron ore, and limestone of the district. and will only be in Pingtingehow a few days, but, in order that there should be no misunderstanding as to the object of his visit, I have been requested to communicate the above information to your Highness' Board for transmission to the local authorities.

I avail, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN,

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