2
During the war, in spite of a protest by Wang, a branch line connecting the mines with the main line at Su Chia-tun was built by the Russian military authorities, and the mines were apparently taken over on the plea of military necessity.
On the termination of hostilities the mines were accordingly taken over by the Japanese military authorities, and by them ultimately handed over to the South Manchurian Railway Company.
His Excellency Chao Erh-sun, during his tenure of the Viceroyalty, made several representations to the Central Government on behalf of Wang, claiming that the Concession had been granted by Imperial Edict, and the mining rights were therefore Wang's private property.
Later on in September, and again on the 25th October, 1907, Wang himself addressed petitions to the Wai-wu Pu on the subject.
The following is a translation of the reply he received from the Board, dated 5th November, 1907, to his second petition:
"On the receipt of your petition of the 2nd September the Board immediately instructed his Excellency Yang, Chinese Minister at Tôkiô, to request the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs to urge Baron Goto to discuss the matter as soon as possible, with a view to the restoration of the mines. On the 27th October the Board again telegraphed to his Excellency Yang in the same sense, and has now received a telegraphic communication from him to the following effect. His Excellency had written to the Tôkiô Foreign Office on receipt of the Board's first instructions, but had received no reply. On receipt of the telegram of the 27th October, his Excellency had a personal interview with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who promised to urge Baron Goto to discuss the matter at an early date.
"Besides instructing the Viceroy of the Three Eastern Provinces and the Governor of Fengtien to press Baron Goto to discuss the question, the Board must order the petitioner to return at once to Mukden, so as to be in a position to interview Baron Goto."
Wang accordingly returned to Mukden to await Baron Goto's arrival, but alarmed by a report that appeared in the Peking "Daily News" of the 2nd January last to the effect that the South Manchurian Railway was on the point of purchasing private property in the Fushun district, he again on the 24th January addressed a further petition to the Viceroy and Governor recapitulating his grievances. He was told, in reply, to wait patiently until Baron Goto's arrival in Mukden.
Mr. Wang appears to confine his claim to the Chien Chin-shan mines on the west of the river, which were included in the original Concession granted to him in 1901, and which appear to be the only mines at present worked by the Railway Company.
He further states that shortly after the entry of the Japanese into Mukden in March 1905 he lodged a protest with the military authorities against the seizure of his mines, and also that he had been assured by the late M. Pokotilow that at the Treaty of Portsmouth there had been no intention of including the Fushun mines amongst the properties to be handed over to the Japanese Government.
The Railway Company have, it would appear, attempted to come to terms with Mr. Wang. He has been offered, according to his own statement, 100,000 taels, or a post as Director of the mines, on condition of withdrawing his claims. These offers he has rejected, and the last I heard of him was that he was seeking the ablest lawyer in the Far East, with the intention of commencing a suit against the South Manchurian Railway Company in the Japanese Courts. This, he seemed to think, would at any rate give him the satisfaction of publicity.
I inquired recently of the local manager of the Russo-Chinese Bank as to the bank's position in the matter. The manager informed me that the bank were in the position of shareholders in Wang's Company. The question had been referred to the head office at St. Petersburgh, and he had no knowledge as to whether any steps had been, or would be, taken for the satisfaction of the bank's claim.
I inclose translation of a paragraph which appeared on the 15th instant in the "Shenking Jih Pao," a local newspaper written in Chinese, but under Japanese management.
I have, &c.
(Signed) ROBERT WILLIS.
3
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Extract from the "Shengking Daily Newspaper" of March 15, 1908.
The following is quoted from the "Tung Pao" (presumably a Tokio newspaper):-
"On the 3rd instant, the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, in reply to a question on the subject of the Fushun mines, stated in the House of Assembly that the Chinese Government had requested the Japanese Government to hand back the Fushun mines. The Japanese Government had, however, received these mines from the Russian Government, and were quite unable to accede to this request, and had advanced arguments in refutation of the Chinese claim. Further, a Chinese subject, named Wang Cheng Jao, had asked for the restoration of the mines as being his private property, but his statements gave rise to suspicion, and he had been told to discuss the matter with the South Manchurian Railway Company.
"The statements of Wang are to the effect that the mining rights on his property were worth at most 60,000 taels, and were not in obstruction of our mining privileges."
658
2
During the war, in spite of a protest by Wang, a branch line connecting the mines with the main line at Su Chia-tun was built by the Russian military authorities, and the mines were apparently taken over on the plea of military necessity.
On the termination of hostilities the mines were accordingly taken over by the Japanese military authorities, and by them ultimately handed over to the South Manchurian Railway Company.
His Excellency Chao Erh-sun, during his tenure of the Viceroyalty, made several representations to the Central Government on behalf of Wang, claiming that the Concession had been granted by Imperial Edict, and the mining rights were therefore Wang's private property.
Later on in September, and again on the 25th October, 1907, Wang himself addressed petitions to the Wai-wu Pu on the subject.
The following is a translation of the reply he received from the Board, dated 5th November, 1907, to his second petition :---
"On the receipt of your petition of the 2nd September the Board immediately instructed his Excellency Yang, Chinese Minister at Tokiô, to request the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs to urge Baron Goto to discuss the matter as soon as possible, with a view to the restoration of the mines. On the 27th October the Board again telegraphed to his Excellency Yang in the same sense, and has now received a telegraphic communication from him to the following effect. His Excellency had written to the Tôkið Foreign Office on receipt of the Board's first instructions, but had received no reply. On receipt of the telegram of the 27th October, his Excel- lency had a personal interview with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who promised to urge Baron Goto to discuss the matter at an early date.
"Besides instructing the Viceroy of the Three Eastern Provinces and the Governor of Fengtien to press Baron Goto to discuss the question, the Board must order the petitioner to return at once to Mukden, so as to be in a position to interview Baron Goto."
Wang accordingly returned to Mukden to await Baron Goto's arrival, but alarmed by a report that appeared in the Peking "Daily News" of the 2nd January last to the effect that the South Manchurian Railway was on the point of purchasing private property in the Fushun district, he again on the 24th January addressed a further petition to the Viceroy and Governor recapitulating his grievances. He was told, in reply, to wait patiently until Baron Goto's arrival in Mukden.
Mr. Wang appears to confine his claim to the Chien Chin-shan mines on the west of the river, which were included in the original Concession granted to him in 1901, and which appear to be the only mines at present worked by the Railway Company.
He further states that shortly after the entry of the Japanese into Mukden in March 1905 he lodged a protest with the military authorities against the seizure of his mines, and also that he had been assured by the late M. Pokotilow that at the Treaty of Portsmouth there had been no intention of including the Fushun mines amongst the properties to be handed over to the Japanese Government.
The Railway Company have, it would appear, attempted to come to terms with Mr. Wang. He has been offered, according to his own statement, 100,000 taels, or a post as Director of the mines, on condition of withdrawing his claims. These offers he has rejected, and the last I heard of him was that he was seeking the ablest lawyer in the Far East, with the intention of commencing a suit against the South Man- churian Railway Company in the Japanese Courts. This, he seemed to think, would at any rate give him the satisfaction of publicity.
I inquired recently of the local manager of the Russo-Chinese Bank as to the bank's position in the matter. The manager informed me that the bank were in the position of shareholders in Wang's Company. The question had been referred to the head office at St. Petersburgh, and he had no knowledge as to whether any steps had been, or would be, taken for the satisfaction of the bank's claim.
I inclose translation of a paragraph which appeared on the 15th instant in the "Shenking Jih Pao," a local newspaper written in Chinese, but under Japanese management.
I have, &c.
(Signed) ROBERT WILLIS.
3
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Extract from the "Shengking Daily Newspaper" of March 15, 1908.
THE following is quoted from the "Tung Pao" (presumably a Tokio news- paper):-
"On the 3rd instant, the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, in reply to a question on the subject of the Fushun mines, stated in the House of Assembly that the Chinese Government had requested the Japanese Government to hand back the Fushun mines. The Japanese Government had, however, received these mines from the Russian Government, and were quite unable to accede to this request, and had advanced arguments in refutation of the Chinese claim. Further, a Chinese subject, named Wang Cheng Jao, bad asked for the restoration of the mines as being his private property, but his statements gave rise to suspicion, and he had been told to discuss the matter with the South Manchurian Railway Company.
"The statements of Wang are to the effect that the mining rights on his property were worth at most 60,000 taels, and were not in obstruction of our mining privileges."
658
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