This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
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livelihood, so as to be able to provide for themselves. The Viceroys and Governor provinces, in conjunction with the Tartar Generals, are commanded to take a cens the bannermen of these garrisons and assign them land, which they are to culti from the lands of the banners. Where there are no banner lands, or not enough, a land is to be bought by degrees by the local authorities until there is enough for support, their pay being reduced proportionally. The land is not to be mortgage sold by them. After they have adopted agricultural pursuits they shall be on the footing as regards land-tax or lawsuits as ordinary people. Means are also to be f to teach them industries and educate them, so as to afford them additional mea living.
The expense of providing houses, embankments, agricultural implements, a and of commencing industries, &c., may, with the sanction of the Throne, be from the sums saved by the abolition of their pay.
pron
The Decree ends by exhorting the high provincial officials against favou commanding the Board of Finance to find the funds necessary for the initial and expressing a hope that the barriers between Manchu and Chinese will be
away.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Résumé of two Decrees issued by the Empress Dowager on September 30, 1907.
(1.)
OFF
VARIOUS Decrees have been issued and steps taken with a view towards mentary institutions. But without universal education the people cannot grow and without local self-government they can have no experience. The object of el tion is to produce loyalty, patriotism, and discretion." Self-government dema choice of persons of ability and public spirit. The Board of Education is command The Board of the Interior is comm compile text-books suitable for universal use. to prepare regulations controlling self-government, and to request their promulgati the provinces for provisional application in places selected by the Viceroys Governors. The Board is to keep watch on what is done, and allow no shirking. persons will be fitted to become Members of Parliament, and the prospect Constitution will be improved.
(2.)
A monarchical Constitution is that best suited to China. The officials and; of the Empire should make themselves familiar with the subject. It is commande the members of Boards in Peking and the Viceroys and Governors in the provinces make a comprehensive study of foreign monarchical Constitutions, selecting the of
persons of repute, and guiding their subordinates in an exhaustive inquiry. Pa encouragement will be given to the zealous, and censure meted out to the neglige
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[38216]
No. 1.
479 [November 19]
12 DEC 07 SECTION 1.
Peking Syndicate to Foreign Office.-(Received November 19,)
Sir,
110, Cannon Street, London, November 19, 1907. I AM instructed by my Directors to acknowledge receipt of, and to thank you for, your letters of the 15th and 16th instant. From the latter my Directors learn that Sir John Jordan, as well as Mr. Brown, the Syndicate's Agent-General, is now convinced that repurchase of the Shansi Concession by the Chinese is the only possible solution of the question. This coincides with the view my Directors have formed after mature consideration of the whole question, and the situation is thus greatly simplified. The one point that remains to be determined is that of amount. My Directors, as you are aware, have offered to surrender the whole Shansi Concession for 1,500,000. This sum was arrived at as roughly the capitalized value of the claim which has already been presented by authority of His Majesty's Government for loss to the Syndicate through the refusal to permit working, and my Directors still consider it to be only a fair and just compensation to the shareholders for the surrender of their rights. Nevertheless they would, in order to secure an immediate settlement, be prepared to accept a smaller sum, and Mr. Brown has been informed what, in the opinion of my Board, is the absolutely irreducible minimum which they could recommend the shareholders to accept.
The sum offered by the Shansi gentry of 2,000,000 tacls is absurdly inadequate. The Wai-wu Pu, as stated by Sir John Jordan, are opposed to the policy of repurchase, and hesitate to bring sufficient pressure to bear on the Shansi gentry to induce them to make a reasonable offer of compensation. My Directors submit that this attitude on the part of the Wai-wu Pu is utterly illogical and indefensible. The Central Govern- ment indorsed and ratified the Agreement, and cannot deny its binding obligation. They are either powerless or unwilling to enforce its fulfilment on the Shansi authorities, and it follows in the clearest manner that not only should they put no obstacle in the way of a settlement by repurchase, but they ought to insist by every means in their power that full and adequate compensation is made to the Syndicate.
My Directors desire to press this point on the consideration of Sir Edward Grey in the strongest possible manner. They are given to understand that the situation is critical. The time is opportune for a settlement, but if allowed to pass it may never recur again. They venture to trust, therefore, that every possible pressure will be brought to bear on the Chinese Government to bring about a satisfactory solution of this long- standing difficulty.
[2732 (-1]
I have, &c. (Signed) THOS. GILBERT, Secretary.
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