CO129-344 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 667

(.

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

CHINA RAILWAYS.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[July 29.]

SECTION 3.

664

[25175]

329963

RECE

No. 1.

REC. 21 AUG 07,

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received July 29.)

(No. 281.) Šir,

Peking, June 12, 1907. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith translation of an extract from the "Canton Daily "of the 10th May last, respecting the joint management by China and France of railways from Pakhoi to the West River, in accordance with the Agreement of 1898.

I have, &c. (Signed)

J. N. JORDAN.

(Translation.)

Inclosure in No. 1.

Extract from " Canton Daily News," May 10, 1907.

THE Bureau of Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce has received a communica- tion from the Viceroy stating that the Wai-wu Pu has sent him the following despatch :-

"A note has been received from M. Bapst, the French Minister, in which it is said: "On the 10th November, 1906, I wrote to the Board that the Chinese Govern- ment had in the 5th month of Kuang Hsü 24, expressed its agreement that when a railway should be built from Pakhoi to the West River, France should have the right to participate in the undertaking; and on the 27th November I received a reply again recognizing the former promise, and stating that a despatch had been sent to the Governor of Kuangsi to be kept for reference. I am informed, however, that the Viceroy of Liang Kuang has received no despatch from your Board on this matter, and as it is one which concerns the territory under his jurisdiction, I have the honour to request that you will remind his Excellency Viceroy Chou that when any Chinese Company proposes to undertake a railway from Pakhoi to the West River, that Company must undertake it in consultation with a French Company, as agreed between our two countries.'

"It has been agreed between China and France that in the case of railways from Pakhoi to Nanning and extensions past Nanning, the arrangements should be based on the Lungchou Railway Agreement, and that railways starting from Pakhoi and going not to Nanning but elsewhere, or other lines which may be constructed here- after, should be undertaken either by a French Company or by a Franco-Chinese Company. These points were agreed to by the Tsung-li Yamên in notes to the French Minister in the 4th month of Kuang Hsu 24 (May-June 1898).

56

Again, in the 30th year of Kuang Hsti (1904-1905) the French Minister repeated his former observations, and the Board replied that at a future time when the trade of that region should have expanded, if China formed a Company it should consult with the French Company.

"In the 9th month of Kuang Hsü 32 (October-November 1906) the French Minister addressed a note to the Board on the subject of modifying the former The Agreement respecting the introduction of railway construction in Kuangsi. Board considered, however, that an arrangement so often accepted could hardly be modified, and that if a limited Company had already been formed they should be instructed, in accordance with the original arrangement, that when considering the trace of this line they must not put themselves in such a position as to conflict with the Agreement come to with the French Minister and repeatedly confirmed. despatch to this effect was sent to the Governor of Kuangsi for his information and guidance.

A

[2571 #-3]