This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government?
369 14855
CHINA RAILWAYS,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[4364]
No. 1.
[February
SECTION 1.
98 APR 08
(No. 594.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received February 8, 1908.)
Peking, December 24, 1907.
WITH reference to my despatch No. 579 of the 11th December, I have the honour to inclose copies of despatches from His Majesty's Consuls in various ports on the subject of the anti-railway agitation, which has prevented all progress in the question of the Chekiang Railway Loan,*
The despatches of His Majesty's Consul at Nanking show that, while the Wai-wu Pu continues to assure me of the Government's intention to carry out its engagement, the Viceroy at Nanking is strongly supporting the cause of the local gentry and has ordered a deduction from all official salaries in his jurisdiction to be devoted towards the purchase of shares in the native Railway Company. As a set-off against this action, the Viceroy has published an appeal from the Wai-wu Pu in which it is pointed out that the agitation rests on a misapprehension of the facts of the case, but at the same time he seizes on the suggestion of the Wai-wu Pu that if any means can be found of reversing their action they will not miss the opportunity, and with this suggestion as his text the Viceroy memorializes the Throne, in conjunction with the Governors of Chekiang and Kiangsu, laying great stress on the strength of popular feeling and proposing that the Wai-wu Pu should verify the funds subscribed by the provincials.
This proposal evidently did not suit the provincial Railway Company, which proceeded to explain that their funds were not paid up, but only promised.
The Viceroy thereupon cautiously explained that he only meant a verification of the fact that shares had been bespoken.
His Majesty's Acting Consul at Hangchow, in the report which forms Inclosure 3 to this despatch, describes the agitation as the work of a few interested parties concerned in the management of the native Railway Company, who have been assisted by the press and the student class. While recognizing that a critical situation has been created, the opinion is expressed that excitement has reached its apex and that firmness on the part of the Central Government will cause it to subside. The translations from Chinese newspapers annexed to this report afford evidence of the wilful perversion of the facts which have led to this impasse, notably the reiterated statement that the Preliminary Agreement of 1899 was effectively cancelled.
The translations of press extracts furnished by His Majesty's Consul-General at Hankow in his despatch No. 98 of the 14th December (Inclosure 4) are filled with the most inflammatory language directed against the Central Government and Great Britain. Special attention may, perhaps, be best directed to an article (No. 16) from the "Universal Gazette" of the 30th November, which openly discusses the question of choosing a rival claimant for the throne; while the account of two conversations between Mr. Fraser and the Secretary of the Viceroy at Wuchang bring out the salient points of the present situation in the clearest light.
I now pass on to the course of events affecting this question in Peking. On the 14th December the notorious Sheng Hsuan Huai arrived in the capital. It will be remembered that it was he who signed the Preliminary Agreements for this and other railways in 1899, in his then capacity of Director-General of Railways, and it was he who was charged with the duty of cancelling the Preliminary Agreement for the Chekiang Railway in 1905. On his statement that this cancellation was effected much of the present agitation has been based, and the principal reason for summoning him to Peking now has been to gain from him the admission that he never succeeded, in point of fact, in cancelling the Preliminary Agreement,
I understand from members of the Wai-wu Pu that this admission has been obtained. The day after his arrival in Peking he sent a message to Mr. E. G. Hillier, of the Hong Kong and Shanghae Bank, begging his assistance towards a compromise. He suggested that the Corporation should abandon the loan and content themselves with other business which he would get for them. Unless they consented there would be, he said,
[2856 h--1]
* Not printed.
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government?
369 14855
CHINA RAILWAYS,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[4364]
No. 1.
[February
SECTION 1.
98 APR 08
(No. 594.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received February 8, 1908.)
Peking, December 24, 1907. WITH reference to my despatch No. 579 of the 11th December, I have the honour to inclose copies of despatches from His Majesty's Consuls in various ports on the subject of the anti-railway agitation, which has prevented all progress in the question of the Chekiang Railway Loan,*
The despatches of His Majesty's Consul at Nanking show that, while the Wai-wu Pu continues to assure me of the Government's intention to carry out its engagement, the Viceroy at Nanking is strongly supporting the cause of the local gentry and has ordered a deduction from all official salaries in his jurisdiction to be devoted towards the purchase of shares in the native Railway Company. As a set-off against this action, the Viceroy has published an appeal from the Wai-wu Pu in which it is pointed out that the agitation rests on a misapprehension of the facts of the case, but at the same time he seizes on the suggestion of the Wai-wu Pu that if any means can be found of reversing their action they will not miss the opportunity, and with this suggestion as his text the Viceroy memorializes the Throne, in conjunction with the Governors of Chekiang and Kiangsu, laying great stress on the strength of popular feeling and proposing that the Wai-wu Pu should verify the funds subscribed by the provincials.
This proposal evidently did not suit the provincial Railway Company, which proceeded to explain that their funds were not paid up, but only promised.
The Viceroy thereupon cautiously explained that he only meant a verification of the fact that shares had been bespoken.
His Majesty's Acting Cousul at Hangchow, in the report which forms Inclosure 3 to this despatch, describes the agitation as the work of a few interested parties concerned in the management of the native Railway Company, who have been assisted by the press and the student class. While recognizing that a critical situation has been created, the opinion is expressed that excitement has reached its apex and that firmness on the part of the Central Government will cause it to subside. The translations from Chinese newspapers annexed to this report afford evidence of the wilful perversion of the facts which have led to this impasse, notably the reiterated statement that the Preliminary Agreement of 1899 was effectively cancelled.
The translations of press extracts furnished by His Majesty's Consul-General at Hankow in his despatch No. 98 of the 14th December (Inclosure 4) are filled with the most inflammatory language directed against the Central Government and Great Britain. Special attention may, perhaps, be best directed to an article (No. 16) from the "Universal Gazette" of the 30th November, which openly discusses the question of choosing a rival claimant for the throne; while the account of two conversations between Mr. Fraser and the Secretary of the Viceroy at Wuchang bring out the salient points of the present situation in the clearest light.
I now pass on to the course of events affecting this question in Peking. On the 14th December the notorious Sheng Hsuan Huai arrived in the capital. It will be remembered that it was he who signed the Preliminary Agreements for this and other railways in 1899, in his then capacity of Director-General of Railways, and it was he who was charged with the duty of cancelling the Preliminary Agreement for the Chekiang Railway in 1905. On his statement that this cancellation was effected much of the present agitation has been based, and the principal reason for summoning him to Peking now has been to gain from him the admission that he never succeeded, in point of fact, in cancelling the Preliminary Agreement,
I understand from members of the Wai-wu Pu that this admission has been obtained. The day after his arrival in Peking he sent a message to Mr. E. G. Hillier, of the Hong He suggested Kong and Shanghae Bank, begging his assistance towards a compromise. that the Corporation should abandon the loan and content themselves with other business which he would get for them. Unless they consented there would be, he said,
[2856 h--1]
• Not printed.
B
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