CO129-345 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 400

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

39126

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[34672]

No. 1.

[October 21.]

SECTION 4, NOV 07

(No. 425.) Sir,

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received October 21.)

Peking, September 4, 1907. WITH reference to the last paragraph of my despatch No. 403 of the 20th August, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a letter which I have received from the General Officer Commanding, North China, informing me that he will retain the post at Tongshan in accordance with my request, and inclosing copy of a letter which he has addressed to the War Office on the subject.

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

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

(Confidential.) Sir,

Brigadier-General Waters to Sir J. Jordan,

Tien-tsin, September 1, 1907. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your Excellency's despatch of the 17th ultimo regarding the presence of Imperial Chinese troops in the vicinity of the Peking-Shan-hai-kuan railway line, and to state that I will keep your Excellency periodically informed of any important changes in the strength and composition of the various detachments, as suggested in paragraph 6 of the above- mentioned despatch.

2. It is my intention to retain our post at Tongshan in accordance with your Excellency's desire, and I inclose, for your information, a copy of a letter to the War Office on the subject. It will therefore be unnecessary to trouble your Excellency to submit the suggestion for the approval of His Majesty's Government by telegraph as proposed.

I have, &c.

(Signed) W. H.-H. WATERS, Brigadier-General,

Commanding the Troops in North China.

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

(Confidential.) Sir,

Brigadier-General Waters to War Office.

Tien-tsin, September 1, 1907. IN continuation of my letter of the 13th ultimo relating to the subject of Chinese military posts along the Peking-Shan-hai-kuan Railway, I have the honour to report that His Majesty's Minister at Peking has informed me that the terms laid down by the allied Commanders on the 12th April, 1902, to the effect that the Chinese garrisons within less than 18 miles of the Peking-Shan-hai-kuan Railway should under no circumstances be increased, were not forwarded to the Chinese Government, so that the stipulation is not binding on them.

2. All the Chinese Government appear to have agreed to in this connection was that no Chinese troops should be stationed within 6 miles of the city of Tien-tsin, and that the arrangements under which the jurisdiction of the Commanders of the posts along the line of railway was to extend to a distance of 2 miles on either side of it should be maintained so long as the posts continued to be occupied by foreign troops.

3. As this stipulation has fallen largely into abeyance, His Majesty's Minister is of opinion, and I'venture to share his view, that we could scarcely object to the Chinese taking reasonable measures for safeguarding an important line of communica-

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