CO129-345 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 21

18

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

D.

AFFAIRS OF CHINA,

CONFIDENTIAL.

[26898]

No. 1.

31828

[August 12.]

THEOR SECTION 46 SEP 07

(No. 308.) Sir,

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received August 12.)

Peking, June 26, 1907. WITH reference to my despatch No. 274 of the 10th instant regarding the establishment of Customs at Dalny, and to my telegram No 116 of the 20th instant, I now have the honour to inclose a translation of the note from Prince Ch'ing fixing the 1st ultimo as the date for opening the Customs at that place.

The note states that the Antung Customs are to be opened on the same date, while as a matter of fact they have been in operation there for some months already. In reply to my inquiries as to this discrepancy, Sir Robert Hart informed me that it must be due to imperfect information on the part of the Wai-wu Pa, and that it would doubtless be corrected by a further note.

In conversation with the Grand Secretary Na Tung yesterday, I was informed that his negotiations with the Russian Minister for the opening of custom-houses in Northern Manchuria was proceeding very satisfactorily, and were approaching com- pletion. This information is confirmed by the Russian Minister, who states that he is daily expecting instructions from St. Petersburgh which will enable him to arrive at a final solution of the question.

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

Inclosure in No. 1.

Prince Ch'ing to Sir J. Jordan.

Kwang Hsü, 33rd year, 5th moon, 8th day (June 18, 1907).

(Translation.) Sir,

IT is provided in Article 5 of the South Manchurian Railway Agreement between China and Russia that the Chinese Government shall be at liberty to establish custom- houses at Dalny.

This Board having communicated with the Revenue Council, who instructed the Inspector-General to negotiate with the Japanese Minister on the question of custom- houses there, the Ministers of the Revenue Council have now communicated to the Board the arrangements negotiated between the Inspector-General and the Japanese Minister. The Board has studied them with extreme care, and they should be constituted the provisional Regulations for Talienwan. Accordingly the 1st July has been fixed as the date for opening the custom-house.

The custom-house at the Trade Mart of Antung and its branch station at Tatungkou, of which your Excellency was informed in the Board's note of the 5th September, 1906, are also to be opened on the same date.

The Board has therefore notified the Inspector-General through the Revenue Council, and has now the honour to communicate the information to your Excellency.

I avail, &c.

[2621 m-4]