CO129-344 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 474

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

CHINA RAILWAYS.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[July 1.]

SECTION.

472

[21597]

No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.~(Received July 1)

26320

RECE

RFC 23 JUL 07)

(No. 223.) Sir,

Peking, May 14, 1907. WITH reference to my despatch No. 193 of the 27th April, I have the honour to inclose a translation and copy of further correspondence with Prince Ch'ing on the subject of the Bhamo-Tengyneh Railway.

By misquoting his note to Sir E. Satow of the 16th March, 1902, his Highness now seeks to restrict its meaning to a mere intimation that the Board were at that time communicating with the Governor-General at Yunnan-fu.

In my reply I have again maintained the view of His Majesty's Government that a definite engagement was then entered into by the Chinese Government from which they cannot recede.

I have, &c. (Signed)

J. N. JORDAN.

Sir,

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

Prince Ch'ing to Sir J. Jordan.

May 9, 1907. IN reply to your Excellency's note of the 20th April last on the subject of the Bhamo-Tengyueh Railway, in which you state that, whatever privileges have been conceded to French enterprise in Yunnan ought to be conceded to British enterprise, and claiming under the engagement contained in the Board's note of the 16th March, 1902, to build a railway across the Burma frontier to Tengyueh, while wishing it to be clearly understood that such a concession could not be considered as fully equivalent to the privileges granted to the French, I have the honour to observe that in the frequent notes your Excellency has addressed to the Board on this subject, you have always based your argument on the Board's note of the 16th March, 1902, as containing a promise, whereas in actual fact that note only states that the Governor-General of the Yun-Kuei Provinces was being communicated with, and did not contain an undertaking that Great Britain should construct a railway between Burma and Yünnan.

Having now received your Excellency's note, the Board can only hold to their view already conveyed to your Excellency on frequent occasions-that they certainly cannot grant this request.

I therefore have the honour to address this note to your Excellency, and avail, &c.

Your Highness,

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Prince Ching.

Peking, May 14, 1907.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Highness' note of the 9th May regarding the Bhamo-Tengyueh Railway, in which your Highness contends that the note of the 16th March, 1902, on which my arguments have been based, contained no engagement that British enterprise should construct a railway between Burma and Yunnan, and in which your Highness reiterates the decision that such a

request cannot be entertained.

I have the honour to state in reply that in the view of His Majesty's Government your Highness' note of the 16th March, 1902, constituted a distinct engagement on the Part of the Chinese Government that whatever privileges were accorded to French

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