CO129-344 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 655

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.] 652

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL

[July 1.]

SECTION 4. C. 0.

[21613]

(No. 239.)

No. 1.

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

29968

RECE

REG. 21 AUG 07/

Sir,

Peking, May 16, 1907. IN continuation of my despatch No. 176 of the 15th ultimo, I have the honour to inclose copies of further correspondence with Prince Ch'ing, relating to the Peking Syndicate's mining interests in Shansi.

To Mr. Brown's request to give effect to the Shansi Smelting Agreement, the Wai-wu Pu return the reply that the Chinese Government has no intention at present of establishing such works in Shansi, and to my reminder that the Syndicate's claim is increasing with each day's delay in the issue of a mining permit, the Board answers that they have already stated the reasons why the permit cannot be issued, and that they deny all responsibility for compensation.

I have sent copies of these replies to Mr. Brown, at Tien-tsin, and at my last two interviews at the Wai-wu Pu, I have touched on the Syndicate's position. The advice of the Grand Secretaries Na and Ch'ü yesterday was that the Agent-General of the Syndicate should be in Tai Yuanfu, and that he should arrange the matter with the Provincial Bureau of Commerce. The Provincial Judge of Shansi being now in Peking, they would ascertain from him if he would receive Mr. Brown, and if he would care to discuss the Syndicate's position with me. They did not consider, however, that any solution could be found by the officials, but only by direct negotiation between the Syndicate and the Provincial Bureau of Commerce.

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

Inclosure I in No. 1.

Prince Ch'ing to Sir J. Jordan.

(Translation.) Sir,

May 9, 1907. WITH reference to your Excellency's repeated notes respecting the delay in issuing a permit to the Peking Syndicate to start mining in Shansi, and charging the high authorities of that province with violating a solemn covenant made by the Shansi Bureau of Commerce, at the bidding of certain agitators, students, and officials; and to your request for steps to be taken without loss of time to compel the Shansi authorities to perform their manifest duty in this matter, and so avoid an addition to the claim for compensation; I have the honour to observe that this Board have already, on various occasions, informed your Excellency in specific terms of the reason why the Government of Shansi is unable to issue the desired permit to mine.

In replying to your [Excellency's note now under acknowledgment the Board have the honour to repeat again, explicitly, that China entirely denics all responsibility for compensation in this matter.

I avail, &c.

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

Prince Ching to Sir J. Jordan.

(Translation.) Sir,

May 9, 1907. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your Excellency's note, inclosing copy of an application which was addressed by Mr. George Brown, Agent-General of the Peking Syndicate, to his Excellency Tong Shao-yi, Vice-President of the Wai-wu Pu, on the 18th December, 1906, with regard to the carrying out of the terms of the Shansi Smelting Agreement, and asking for an early reply.

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