507
2
As affecting Japanese internal administration the main interest of the scheme would appear to lie in the very great importance attached by the Japanese Government to the interests of the South Manchurian Railway Company and the development of their railway settlements under the aegis of the Kuantung Government.
I have, &c. (Signed)
R. WILLIS,
3
The total holdings of the Russian Company are stated to amount to 8,733 acres only. The following comparative table will show the Japanese extensions at the principal stations:—
Place Russian Holding Japanese Holding Acres Acres 923.3 1,666 926.6 1,666 842.3 1,250 61.6 2,083(Translation.)
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Extract from the "Manshu Nichi Nichi" of January 16, 1908,
ADMINISTRATIVE REORGANIZATION.
WE have already reported that as a result of the reorganization of the administration of the Kuantung Government-General, all our Consular representatives in Manchuria have been made business officials of that Government, and have also had placed under their control, in addition to the original Consular police, the police operating in the railway zone, thus uniting and unifying these two services. Formerly the separate status of the Consular and the railway police services not only resulted in a great deal of useless confusion in administration, but whenever a diplomatic question arose, it also caused no little embarrassment to the Chinese officials. Although the provisions of the China Eastern Railway Agreement entitled the Railway Company to administer public functions within the railway zone, and it was in pursuance of these provisions that the Government-General established and maintained a police service therein, the Chinese officials refused for some reason or other to recognize our right to take such action. During the administration of Chao Erh Sun, for example, he addressed us repeatedly written protests on the subject. At public receptions given by the Chinese officials at Mukden, although our leading representatives, such as the Consul and the members of the railway staff were always invited, special care seemed to be taken to omit from the list of guests the Chief of the Railway Police. After the assumption of office by Viceroy Hsu, although the Consul succeeded in getting his practical recognition of the status of the railway police office, he showed a persistent tendency to ignore it in principle. Although before the war along the Chinese Eastern Railway and since the war in Northern Manchuria, Chinese police have been permitted to function side by side with Russian police inside the railway zone, this has not been allowed along the South Manchurian Railway, and the Chinese have unceasingly used this fact as a lever to insist in the right to enforce their own control. Now, however, that the Consular representatives have become also business officials of the Government-General, and have been given control of the railway police, thus effecting a practical unification of the police services, not only should their administration become greatly simplified, but great convenience should result to the Chinese in the treatment of diplomatic questions arising in connection therewith. Both Viceroy Hsu and Governor Tang, as well as Tao Taotai, have addressed inquiries to Consul-General Kato regarding the nature of the new administration, and have expressed great satisfaction with the reform.
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Willis to Sir J. Jordan,
(No. 25. Confidential.) Sir,
Mukden, March 7, 1908.
WITH reference to my despatch No. 14 of the 17th ultimo, I have now the honour to submit the following additional information regarding the Railway Settlements of the South Manchurian Railway Company.
I regret that I should have made a considerable error in computing the total amount of land claimed by the Railway Company. The figures in Baron Goto's Report show an area of 43,329,418 "tsubo" in the possession of the Company, exclusive of their holdings in the leased territory. A "tsubo" being reckoned at 36 square feet, this works out at 35,809 acres, instead of the 14,000 acres mentioned in my former Report.
Mukden Liaoyang Tiehling Kung Chu Ling ::::According to a Confidential Memorandum supplied me by Taotai Tao, the Commissioner in charge of the Mukden Foreign Office, the Chinese authorities are in possession of maps which show clearly the extent of the original Russian holdings. The "extensions" now claimed by the Japanese Company have been in some cases purchased from private owners, in some cases simply annexed. At Liaoyang, Mr. Tao states, the whole of the territory between the station and the city wall has been taken without payment on the plea that it was in possession of the Russian military authorities. Commissioner adds that, with the sole exception of Ta Shih Ch'iao, there has been a considerable extension at every important station along the line.
I inclose in translation a copy of a recent article published in the "Manshu Nichi Nichi Shimbun," the official organ of the South Manchurian Railway Company, from which it would seem that the Company are conscious of some weakness in their title to these extensions.
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
I have, &c. (Signed)
R. WILLIS.
Extract from the "Manshu Nichi Nichi Shimbun" of February 27, 1908.
CHINESE PRIVATE LAND-HOLDINGS WITHIN THE JAPANESE RAILWAY ZONE.
(Translation.)
PRIVATE Chinese, claiming to own land within the Japanese Railway zone, have lately been demanding, through their authorities, that the Railway Company return it to them. Thus far about thirty applications have been received. It is doubted if the applicants have a real title to the land, or, expecting that the Railway Company might desire it for the construction of buildings in connection with its future administrative policy, wish to anticipate such action by securing the concession of conditions favourable to themselves, a method of self-interested scheming which might be suspected. Owing to the unreliability of the statements made in the applications a member of the Company was detailed to survey the boundaries of the land in question and determine the character of the Chinese claims. Although there are some claims which have a semblance of justice, most of them are extremely doubtful. As the title-deeds held by the South Manchurian Railway Company are in some cases defective, it may be necessary to apply to the Chinese Eastern Railway Company for a proof and confirmation of its rights. Should the Russian Company fail to lend its assistance towards a settlement of the question, there would seem to be no recourse but to submit it to negotiation with the Chinese authorities at Peking. Chinese have of late been greatly inclined to annoy us with false and unjust claims, and the trouble thus caused is to be regretted as being very detrimental to cordial international relations.
507
2
As affecting Japanese internal administration the main interest of the scheme would appear to lie in the very great importance attached by the Japanese Government to the interests of the South Manchurian Railway Company and the development of their railway settlements under the aegis of the Kuantung Government.
I have, &c. (Signed)
R. WILLIS,
3
The total holdings of the Russian Company are stated to amount to 8,733 acres only. The following comparative table will show the Japanese extensions at the principal stations :—-~
Place.
Russian Holding.
Japanese Holding.
Acres.
Acres.
923.3
1,666
926-6
1,666
842-3
1,250
61.6
2,083
(Translation.)
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Extract from the "Manshu Nichi Nichi" of January 16, 1908,
ADMINISTRATIVE REORGANIZATION.
WE have already reported that as a result of the reorganization of the administration of the Kuantung Government-General, all our Consular representatives in Manchuria have been made business officials of that Government, and have also had placed under their control, in addition to the original Consular police, the police operating in the railway zone, thus uniting and unifying these two services. Formerly the separate status of the Consular and the railway police services not only resulted in a great deal of useless confusion in administration, but whenever a diplomatic question arose, it also caused no little embarrassment to the Chinese officials. Although the provisions of the China Eastern Railway Agreement entitled the Railway Company to administer public functions within the railway zone, and it was in pursuance of these provisions that the Government-General established and maintained a police service therein, the Chinese officials refused for some reason or other to recognize our right to take such action. During the administration of Chao Erh Sun, for example, he addressed us repeatedly written protests on the subject. At public receptions given by the Chinese officials at Mukden, although our leading representatives, such as the Consul and the members of the railway staff were always invited, special care seemed to be taken to omit from the list of guests the Chief of the Railway Police. After the assumption of office by Viceroy Hsu, although the Consul succeeded in getting his practical recognition of the status of the railway police office, he showed a persistent tendency to ignore it in principle. Although before the war along the Chinese Eastern Railway and since the war in Northern Manchuria, Chinese police have been permitted to function side by side with Russian police inside the railway zone, this has not been allowed along the South Manchurian Railway, and the Chinese have unceasingly used this fact as a lever to insist in the right to enforce their own control. Now, however, that the Consular representatives have become also business officials of the Government-General, and have been given control of the railway police, thus effecting a practical unification of the police services, not only should their administration become greatly simplified, but great convenience should result to the Chinese in the treatment of diplomatic questions arising in connection therewith. Both Viceroy Hsu and Governor Tang, as well as Tao Taotai, have addressed inquiries to Consul-General Kato regarding the nature of the new administration, and have expressed great satisfaction with the reform.
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Willis to Sir J. Jordan,
(No. 25. Confidential.) Sir,
Mukden, March 7, 1908.
WITH reference to my despatch No. 14 of the 17th ultimo, I have now the honour to submit the following additional information regarding the Railway Settlements of the South Manchurian Railway Company.
I regret that I should have made a considerable error in computing the total amount of land claimed by the Railway Company. The figures in Baron Goto's Report show an area of 43,329,418 "tsubo " in the possession of the Company, exclusive of their holdings in the leased territory. A "tsubo " being reckoned at 36 square feet, this works out at 35,809 acres, instead of the 14,000 acres mentioned in my former Report.
Mukden Liaoyang Tiehling
Kung Chu Ling
::::
According to a Confidential Memorandum supplied me by Taotai Tao, the Commis- sioner in charge of the Mukden Foreign Office, the Chinese authorities are in possession of maps which show clearly the extent of the original Russian holdings. The "extensions " now claimed by the Japanese Company have been in some cases purchased from private owners, in some cases simply annexed. At Linoyang, Mr. Tao states, the whole of the territory between the station and the city wall has been taken without The payment on the plea that it was in possession of the Russian military authorities. Commissioner adds that, with the sole exception of Ta Shih Ch'iao, there has been a considerable extension at every important station along the line.
I inclose in translation a copy of a recent article published in the "Manshu Nichi Nichi Shimbun," the official organ of the South Manchurian Railway Company, from which it would seem that the Company are conscious of some weakness in their title to these extensions.
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
I have, &c. (Signed)
R. WILLIS.
Extract from the "Manshu Nichi Nichi Shimbun" of February 27, 1908.
CHINESE PRIVATE LAND-HOLDINGS WITHIN THE JAPANESE RAILWAY ZONE.
(Translation.)
PRIVATE Chinese, claiming to own land within the Japanese Railway zone, have lately been demanding, through their authorities, that the Railway Company return it to them. Thus far about thirty applications have been received. It is doubted if the applicants have a real title to the land, or, expecting that the Railway Company might desire it for the construction of buildings in connection with its future administrative policy, wish to anticipate such action by securing the concession of conditions favourable to themselves, a method of self-interested scheming which might be suspected. Owing to the unreliability of the statements made in the applications a member of the Company was detailed to survey the boundaries of the land in question and determine the character of the Chinese claims. Although there are some claims which have a semblance of justice, most of them are extremely doubtful. As the title-deeds held by the South Manchurian Railway Company are in some cases defective, it may be necessary to apply to the Chinese Eastern Railway Company for a proof and confirma- tion of its rights. Should the Russian Company fail to lend its assistance towards a settlement of the question, there would seem to be no recourse but to submit it to negotiation with the Chinese authorities at Peking. Chinese have of late been greatly inclined to annoy us with false and unjust claims, and the trouble thus caused is to be regretted as being very detrimental to cordial international relations.
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