[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty]
4
"Tung Feng," belonging to Mr. Fisher, left Canton for Tseng Cheng, that on arrival at Tun T'ou, below Whampoa, she was pirated by pirates disguised as passengers, who took her to a place near Ma Ch'ung, where they disappeared with their booty. The losses in money and clothes were estimated at 5,000 taels, and you requested me to order the arrest of the robbers and the recovery of the property stolen.
In reply I have the honour to state that on receipt of your previous message by telephone, by Taotai Wen, of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, I at once sent stringent instructions to the Magistrate and military officer at Tseng Cheng, to the Pun Yu and Tung Kun Magistrates, and to the Kuangchow Colonel, as also to all the forces, naval and military, along the waterways concerned, to at once secure the arrest of the pirates and the recovery of the property. On this being done, and after the interrogation of the pirates, I will communicate with you again.
I avail, &c.
Dear Sir John,
Inclosure 7 in No. 1.
Sir R. Hart to Sir J. Jordan.
(Seal of Viceroy.)
Peking, November 15, 1907. I have just read the inclosures in yours of the 14th concerning the piracy question.
The business is really of a territorial rather than a revenue description, and, as the officials now seem stirred up to activity, I think it would be well to leave things in their hands till it is seen whether their method is effective or not. I am glad to see the Viceroy offered to forgo the 200,000 taels sum the Customs seemed called on to provide, and I shall be more pleased still if we can get out of the position the Wai-wu Pu now wants to create, viz., the Customs to provide and support two cruisers, for I fear their action would either waste money by being useless or cause friction and unpleasantness by over-officiousness in matters not fiscal.
0
Sincerely yours,
(Signed) ROBERT HART,
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[2702]
No. 1.
[January 25.]
SECTION 1,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received January 25, 1908.) (No. 568.) Sir,
Peking, December 9, 1907. WITH reference to my despatch No. 525 of the 12th ultimo, I have the honour to forward to you herewith a summary of events which have occurred in China since that date, and of the more interesting newspaper comments on current topics.
I have, &c.
-(Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure in No. 1,
Monthly Summary,
THE following extracts from recent daily newspapers published in Peking are of interest :-
Naval Affairs.
November 20.—“After further discussion of the question of reviving the navy and the financial difficulties which stand in the way, it is now proposed to direct the Maritime Customs to contribute to the expenses as under the old Rules. The sum provided by the Customs under the old Rules was 240,000 taels per annum, but it is not known whether this would be sufficient."
December 4.-"The want of a navy having caused China to be ranked below the first-class Powers at the recent Hague Conference, the navy question has again come to the front, and an Imperial Edict was recently issued requiring Chang Chih-tung and Shih Hsu to devise means and setting aside 5,000,000 taels from the Imperial Treasury for the purpose.
After consultation with the Army Board and the Board of Finance and Communications, it has been decided to establish a separate Navy Board within the current year, to defray the initial cost by a contribution from each province of 10,000,000 taels in addition to the 5,000,000 taels already found, and to meet the annual expense by a stamp tax and increased passenger fares. Admiral Sa is to be temporarily appointed Acting President of this Board.'
Japanese Buddhists.
November 24." The Japanese Minister is being gradually brought over to the view of the Wai-wu Pu that the Japanese Buddhist priests in Fukien should be on the footing of travellers, not of missionaries, and should not be allowed to trespass within the proper sphere of the Local Government."
December 2.-"The Japanese Minister has requested the Wai-wu Pu that special Regulations may be made for Buddhist missionaries in China."
Railways.
November 17. Kalgan-Urga Line. The preliminary surveys for the Kalgan-Urga Railway are to be undertaken next spring. The funds required will be found by China proper and Mongolia conjointly."
December 1. Line in Kansu." The Government is very anxious to press forward the construction of a railway between Lanchow and Hsinming in Kansu. The scheme was sanctioned before as a purely commercial concern, but fell through owing to insufficiency
It is now intended to undertake it as a joint official and commercial business, and corresponding instructions have been sent to the Shen Kan Viceroy.
[2818 bb-1]
of funds.
B
53
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Magp
4
"Tung Feng," belonging to Mr. Fisher, left Canton for Tseng Cheng, that on arrival at Tun T'ou, below Whampoa, she was pirated by pirates disguised as passengers, who took her to a place near Ma Ch'ung, where they disappeared with their booty. The losses in money and clothes were estimated at 5,000 taels, and you requested me to order the arrest of the robbers and the recovery of the property stolen.
In reply I have the honour to state that on receipt of your previous message by telephone, by Taotai Wen, of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, I at once sent stringent instructions to the Magistrate and military officer at Tseng Cheng, to the Pun Yu and Tung Kun Magistrates, and to the Kuangchow Colonel, as also to all the forces, naval and military, along the waterways concerned, to at once secure the arrest of the pirates and the recovery of the property. On this being done, and after the interrogation of the pirates, I will communicate with you again.
I avail, &c.
Dear Sir John,
Inclosure 7 in No. 1.
Sir R. Hart to Sir J. Jordan.
(Seal of Viceroy.)
Peking, November 15, 1907. I HAVE just read the inclosures in yours of the 14th concerning the piracy question.
The business is really of a territorial rather than a revenue description, and, as the officials now seem stirred up to activity, I think it would be well to leave things in their hands till it is seen whether their method is effective or not. I am glad to see the Viceroy offered to forgo the 200,000 taels sum the Customs seemed called on to provide, and I shall be more pleased still if we can get out of the position the Wai-wu Pu now wants to create, viz., the Customs to provide and support two cruisers, for I fear their action would either waste money by being useless of cause friction and unpleasant- ness by over-officiousness in matters not fiscal.
0
Sincerely yours,
(Signed)
ROBERT HART,
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[2702]
No. 1.
[January 25.]
SECTION 1,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received January 25, 1908.) (No. 568.) Sir,
Peking, December 9, 1907. WITH reference to my despatch No. 525 of the 12th ultimo, I have the honour to forward to you herewith a summary of events which have occurred in China since that date, and of the more interesting newspaper comments on current topics.
I have, &c.
- (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure in No. 1,
Monthly Summary,
THE following extracts from recent daily newspapers published in Peking are of interest :-
Naval Affairs.
November 20.—“ After further discussion of the question of reviving the navy and the financial difficulties which stand in the way, it is now proposed to direct the Maritime Customs to contribute to the expenses as under the old Rules. The sum provided by the Customs under the old Rules was 240,000 taels per annum, but it is not known whether this would be sufficient."
December 4.-"The want of a navy having caused China to be ranked below the first-class Powers at the recent Hague Conference, the navy question has again come to the front, and an Imperial Edict was recently issued requiring Chang Chih-tung and Shih Hsu to devise means and setting aside 5,000,000 taels from the Imperial Treasury for the purpose.
After consultation with the Army Board and the Board of Finance and Communications, it has been decided to establish a separate Navy Board within the current year, to defray the initial cost by a contribution from each province of 10,000,000 taels in addition to the 5,000,000 taels already found, and to meet the annual expense by a stamp tax and increased passenger fares. Admiral Sa is to be temporarily appointed Acting President of this Board,'
Japanese Buddhists.
November 24." The Japanese Minister is being gradually brought over to the view of the Wai-wu Pu that the Japanese Buddhist priests in Fukien should be on the footing of travellers, not of missionaries, and should not be allowed to trespass within the proper sphere of the Local Government."
December 2.-"The Japanese Minister has requested the Wai-wu Pu that special Regulations may be made for Buddhist missionaries in China."
Railways.
November 17. Kalgan-Urga Line. The preliminary surveys for the Kalgan-Urga Railway are be undertaken next spring. The funds required will be found by China proper and Mongolia conjointly."
December 1. Line in Kansu." The Government is very anxious to press forward the construction of a railway between Lanchow and Hsinming in Kansu. The scheme was sanctioned before as a purely commercial concern, but fell through owing to insufficiency It is now intended to undertake it as a joint official and commercial business, and corresponding instructions have been sent to the Shen Kan Viceroy.
[2818 bb-1]
of funds.
B
53
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