CO129-344 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 626

623

知

letter from this Department to the British and Chinese

Corporation, dated January 6th. 1906, stating that Sir

201706

E. Grey was disposed to inform the French Ambassador

that His Majesty's Government agreed in principle to

the proposal that a French group should cooperate on

equal terms except for the British Chairman's casting

vote, but would prefer to leave the arrangement of the

details to the groups themselves. The reply of the

Corporation, dated January 11th. 1906, expressing con-

currence in this view and referring to the fact that an

agreement had already been reached by the groups was

also communicated to you. In view of the previous

correspondence and the known views of the French Govern-

ment in the matter, this agreement could only have been

reached upon the basis of equal participation, and as

at that time no protest was raised by your Department

it was assumed that the Secretary of State for the

Colonies concurred in what had passed and a communica-

tion was made to the French Ambassador expressing the

concurrence of His Majesty's Government in the agree-

ment.

Sir E. Grey regrets that a copy of this Memor-

andum