CO129-345 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 37

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objection thereto; and I directed Mr. Fraser to formally

assure His Excellency that whatever the result of the

prosent negotiations might be, His Majesty's Government

would expect the strict fulfilment of the engagements

of 1903 and 1905 which were amply recognised by the Val

Wu Pu as binding.

From a copy of a telegram sent by the Viceroy to the

Wai Wu Pu within the past few days, which has been

furnished to me from confidential sources,

and a translat

tion of which I have the honour to enclose,

it is evident

that the viceroy is very reluctant to tell his Coverjument

the facts of the case; and in the final interview with

Mr.Hillier and His Kajesty's Consul General which took

place on July 8 he nought to throw on the former the onus

of making the necessary explanations to the Wai Yu Pu.

At this interview, the Viceroy is reported by Mr.

Fraser to have stated that the Wai Wu Pu forbad him from

concluding negotiations with Mr.Hillier without their

approval, and that, according to the Wai Wu Pu,

other

Povers especially dormany, were protesting against a

British loan being granted.

Kis