CO129-345 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 172

ment is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

C O.

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169

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[24601)

No. 1.

[July 25 SEP

07

SECTION 2,

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

(No. 146.) (Telegraphic.) P.

Peking, July 23, 1907. IN continuation of my telegram No. 145 of the 18th instant, I have the honour to inform you that I am in receipt of the following telegram, dated yesterday, from His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton :-

"With reference to your telegram No. 47, Acting Viceroy categorically refuses to accept any further responsibility than that imposed by Article XIX of the Treaty of Tien-tsin, and alleges that piracy exists everywhere.

"(Confidential.)

"Much effect would, I think, be caused by a threat that the Hong Kong Government would withdraw the Arms Ordinance and all police measures which are now taken to prevent revolutionary agents residing in the Colony, and to regulate the traffic in arms, and that we would undertake the policing of the waterways ourselves. If the Admiral came to Whampoa with some naval force and visited the Acting Viceroy with me to urge the settlement of cruiser and other outstanding questions, our object might possibly be obtained. The deadlock existing with the Viceroy of Foochow in 1895 over the Hua Shan massacre negotiations was ended by the mere arrival of the Admiral with five ships at Pagoda anchorage."

We

With these suggestions of the Consul-General I agree generally, but a mere demonstration is not certain to have the effect now that was produced in 1895. should be prepared to use the Admiral's assistance, if we invoke it, effectively in the last resort.

I recorded the arrangement respecting Customs cruisers in a note dated the 3rd July, three days before the present case occurred, and warned the Wai-wu Pu that their neglect to enforce it rendered them responsible for all losses incurred in consequence thereof. The foreign Customs authorities have, unfortunately, given little support to the scheme.

The following are the principal outstanding questions at Canton :-

1. Indigo claim (for which please see my despatch No. 268, paragraph 24);

2. Claims arising out of the piracy of the steam-ship “Sainam ";

3. The present case; and

4. Steps to be taken for the suppression of piracy.

I have received no reply from the Wai-wu Pu to the representations mentioned in

the penultimate paragraph of my telegram No. 136.

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