This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL,
[175]
No. 1.
[January 2.
SECTION 1,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received January 2.)
(No. 1.) (Telegraphic.) P.
SOOCHÓW-NINGPO Railway.
Peking, January 2, 1908.
In reply to your telegram No.147 of the 31st December, I have the honour to state that I still hold the opinion that, if the Tien-tsin-Yang-tsze Agreement is signed before the Ningpo one, our position will probably be weakened. I doubt, however, whether signature of the former can be much longer withheld without jeopardizing it at the same time.
Wai-wu Pu asked me on the 31st December to sign the Tien-tsin-Yang-tsze Agreement. I replied that, provided they gave me a verbal assurance that they would settle the Ningpo one on the same terms as soon as possible, I would agree to sign. The Board were reluctant to give an assurance which they might not find themselves able to carry out; they requested me, however, to allow them a week in which to think over the matter.
On the receipt of their reply, I shall telegraph a definite opinion; in the meantime I am explaining position of affairs to the German Minister.
I regard the situation as a delicate one, as the agitation which is subsiding may be revived if we exert further pressure, in which case the Central Government will find it still more difficult to bring the people of Chekiang to their senses.
[2815-1]
82
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL,
[175]
No. 1.
[January 2.1
SECTION 1,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received January 2.)
(No. 1.) (Telegraphic.) P.
SOOCHÓW-NINGPO Railway.
Peking, January 2, 1908.
In reply to your telegram No. 147 of the 31st December, I have the honour to state that I still hold the opinion that, if the Tien-tsin-Yang-tsze Agreement is signed before the Ningpo one, our position will probably be weakened. I doubt, however, whether signature of the former can be much longer withheld without jeopardizing it at the
same time.
Wai-wu Pu asked me on the 31st December to sign the Tien-tsin-Yang-tsze Agree- ment. I replied that, provided they gave me a verbal assurance that they would settle the Ningpo one on the same terms as soon as possible, I would agree to sign. The Board were reluctant to give an assurance which they might not find themselves able to carry out; they requested me, however, to allow them a week in which to think over the matter.
On the receipt of their reply, I shall telegraph a definite opinion; in the mean- time I am explaining position of affairs to the German Minister.
I regard the situation as a delicate one, as the agitation which is subsiding may be revived if we exert further pressure, in which case the Central Government will find
it still more difficult to bring the people of Chekiang to their senses.
[2815 -1]
82
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