This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
CHINA TRADE,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[4366]
No. 1.
[February 8.]
SECTION 3.
(No. 596.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received February 8, 1908.)
Peking, December 25, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to forward copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Vice-Consul at Antung, in regard to a proposed railway bridge across the River Yalu, to be built by the Japanese and which, if constructed as at present intended, will be detrimental to all but Japanese commercial interests.
I explained the question fully to Baron Hayashi, my Japanese colleague, at an interview on the 16th instant, pointing out the great disadvantages to which non-Japanese trade would be exposed, were a fixed railway bridge constructed at the spot at present suggested.
Baron Hayashi seemed to appreciate the force of my objections, and invited me to furnish them to him in writing.
I accordingly addressed to him a letter on the 18th instant, of which copy is inclosed, and of which I have also forwarded a copy to His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokio.
Mr. Fletcher, the American Chargé d'Affaires in Peking, with whom I had previously been in communication, was informed of this interview, and subsequently saw Baron Hayashi on the subject, and also addressed a note to him in regard to the matter. He is forwarding the correspondence to the American Ambassador at Tokio in the hope that the latter will co-operate with Sir Claude MacDonald in any action that may seem feasible or desirable.
The question is one of practical interest to Great Britain, as Messrs. Butterfield and Swire run steamers to Antung, and the prospects of the port from a shipping point of view are decidedly promising.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Report on Proposed Bridge over the Yalu River at Antung.
Situation.
The railway from Seoul to Antung, on approaching the Yalu River, diverges at a distance of about half a-mile from the river, and turns off in a westerly direction to the railway station at Hsin I-chou. The railway station is situated over a mile distant down river, at a point removed some 200 yards from the river bank. In preparation for the construction of a bridge, a railway embankment has been constructed, leading in a direct line down to the Yalu River from the point where the railway begins to diverge to the west. Apart from the embankment, which covers the greater part of the half-mile to the river but stops short of the river, no works of any kind are at present visible. The site selected on the Korean side for the Korean end of the bridge is then where the embankment, if continued to the water's edge, will strike the river.
On the Chinese side the railway from Mukden follows the north side of the Japanese Settlement, and turns towards the river along the west side of the settlement, the railway embankment along this side being also the embankment which protects the Settlement from floods. Within some 200 yards of the river the railway turns again up river to the east to the terminus at the south-east corner of the Japanese Settlement. The point which it is proposed to make the Chinese end of the bridge is immediately opposite the Korean end of the bridge, and where the Mukden-Antung Railway, running along the west side of the Settlement, would strike the river if continued in a direct line up to the river-bank.
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This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government. }
CHINA TRADE,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[4366]
No. 1.
[February 8.]
SECTION 3.
(No. 596.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received February 8, 1908.)
Peking, December 25, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to forward copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Vice- Consul at Antung, in regard to a proposed railway bridge across the River Yalu, to he built by the Japanese and which, if constructed as at present intended, will be detrimental to all but Japanese commercial interests.
I explained the question fully to Baron Hayashi, my Japanese colleague, at an interview on the 16th instant, pointing out the great disadvantages to which non-Japanese trade would be exposed, were a fixed railway bridge constructed at the spot at present suggested.
Baron Hayashi seemed to appreciate the force of my objections, and invited me to furnish them to him in writing.
I accordingly addressed to him a letter on the 18th instant, of which copy is inclosed, and of which I have also forwarded a copy to His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokio.
Mr. Fletcher, the American Chargé d'Affaires in Peking, with whom I had previously been in communication, was informed of this interview, and subsequently saw Baron Hayashi on the subject, and also addressed a note to him in regard to the matter. He is forwarding the correspondence to the American Ambassador at Tokio in the hope that the latter will co-operate with Sir Claude MacDonald in any action that may seem feasible or desirable.
The question is one of practical interest to Great Britain, as Messrs. Butterfield' and Swire run steamers to Antung, and the prospects of the port from a shipping point of view are decidedly promising.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Report on Proposed Bridge over the Yalu River at Antung.
Situation.
In
THE railway from Seoul to Antung, on approaching the Yalu River, diverges at a distance of about half a-mile from the river, and turns off in a westerly direction to the railway station at Hsin I-chou. The railway station is situated over a mile distant down river, at a point removed some 200 yards from the river bank. preparation for the construction of a bridge, a railway embankment has been con- structed, leading in a direct line down to the Yalu River from the point where the railway begins to diverge to the west. Apart from the embankment, which covers the greater part of the half-mile to the river but stops short of the river, no works of any kind are at present visible. The site selected on the Korean side for the Korean end of the bridge is then where the embankment, if continued to the water's edge, will strike the river.
On the Chinese side the railway from Mukden follows the north side of the Japanese Settlement, and turns towards the river along the west side of the settlement, the railway embankment along this side being also the embankment which protects the Settlement from floods. Within some 200 yards of the river the railway turns again up river to the east to the terminus at the south-east corner of the Japanese Settlement. The point which it is proposed to make the Chinese end of the bridge is immediately opposite the Korean end of the bridge, and where the Mukden-Antung Railway, running along the west side of the Settlement, would strike the river if continued in a direct line up to the river-bank.
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