This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government,
AFFAIRS OF CHINA,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[25134]
C. O.
0333
[July 20.]
SECTION 2.
109
GL 13. AUG 08, No. T
(No. 289.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey,-(Received July 20.)
Peking, June 24, 1908.
I HAD the honour to receive on the 13th instant your telegram No. 94, in which you directed me to ascertain the circumstances of an incident reported from Macao, and to obtain an explanation from the Chinese Government. The Portuguese Government had informed you that a vessel flying the Chinese flag which had visited the inner harbour of Macao had refused to comply with the usual port formalities, under the pretext that the place was in Chinese waters. This appeared to be at variance with the contention which the Chinese had hitherto put forward that they were merely acting in conformity with the position which existed at the time of the conclusion of the Treaty in 1887.
I took the opportunity of an interview which I had at the Wai-wu Pu on the 16th instant to communicate to them the substance of your telegram, and to ask them for an explanation of the affair.
The Ministers present stated that they had received a communication in similar terms from Baron Sendal, the Portuguese Minister, and had telegraphed to the Viceroy of Canton for information. They had no previous knowledge of any occurrence of the kind.
I had arranged beforehand with my Portuguese colleague, with whom I have been in almost daily communication on the question, that we should make a joint verbal representation to the Wai-wu Pu, urging the necessity for the appointment of a Mixed Commission to delimit the boundaries of Macao.
The proposal was favourably received by the Ministers, but they deferred giving a definite reply until they had an opportunity of consulting the Prince and Yuan Shih-k'ai, both of whom are in attendance upon the Court at the Summer Palace.
I reverted to the subject at the Wai-wu Pu yesterday, and inquired if they had received a reply from the Viceroy at Canton. Liang Ta-jên replied, somewhat bluntly, that they had not, and by his manner more than his language showed that he resented our intervention in the matter. I expressed surprise that there should be such a delay in ascertaining the facts, and tried to convey the impression that I doubted the strict accuracy of the answer.
A note, dated the same day, and which must have been drafted at the time of my visit, reached the Portuguese Minister the following morning. In this communication, of which a copy is inclosed, the Wai-wu Pu quote a telegram from the Viceroy at Canton, stating that the Chinese man-of-war anchored at a place called Yin K'eng, in the river opposite to Macao, where Chinese vessels have been in the habit of anchoring in the past without any interference on the part of the Portuguese authorities. Both the Viceroy and the Wai-wu Pu maintain that Yin K'eng is in Chinese waters, and deny the right of Portugal to exercise any supervision over Chinese vessels anchoring there.
As the place cannot be identified on any of the maps in this Legation, and the Portuguese Legation is largely dependent upon us for information regarding their own Colony, I am unable to express any opinion upon the Chinese contention until Baron Sendal receives a reply to a query which he has addressed to the Governor of Macao on the subject.
From the Memorandum copy of which is inclosed it will be seen that the Wai-wu Pu have agreed to accept the suggestion for a joint delimitation of the frontiers of Macao. The Acting Governor of the Portuguese Colony is of the opinion that this step affords the only possible solution of this intricate question, and it is to be hoped that the friction which now exists will at least be lessened if the parties can be brought together with the view of arriving at some understanding of their mutual differences.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
[1865 u-2]
-21
306
)
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government,
AFFAIRS OF CHINA,
CONFIDENTIAL.
}
[25134]
C. 0.
0333
[July 20.]
SECTION 2.
109
GL 13. AUC 08, No. T
(No. 289.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey,-(Received July 20.)
Peking, June 24, 1908. I HAD the honour to receive on the 13th instant your telegram No. 94, in which you directed me to ascertain the circumstances of an incident reported from Macao, and to obtain an explanation from the Chinese Government." The Portuguese Government had informed you that a vessel flying the Chinese flag which had visited the inner harbour of Macao had refused to comply with the usual port formalities, under the pretext that the place was in Chinese waters. This appeared to be at variance with the contention which the Chinese had hitherto put forward that they were merely acting in conformity with the position which existed at the time of the conclusion of the Treaty in 1887.
I took the opportunity of an interview which I had at the Wai-wu Pu on the 16th instant to communicate to them the substance of your telegram, and to ask them for an explanation of the affair.
The Ministers present stated that they had received a communication in similar terms from Baron Sendal, the Portuguese Minister, and had telegraphed to the Viceroy of Canton for information. They had no previous knowledge of any occurrence of the kind.
I had arranged beforehand with my Portuguese colleague, with whom I have been in almost daily communication on the question, that we should make a joint verbal representation to the Wai-wu Pu, urging the necessity for the appointment of a Mixed Commission to delimit the boundaries of Macao.
The proposal was favourably received by the Ministers, but they deferred giving a definite reply until they had an opportunity of consulting the Prince and Yuan Shin-k'ai, both of whom are in attendance upon the Court at the Summer Palace.
I reverted to the subject at the Wai-wu Pu yesterday, and inquired if they had received a reply from the Viceroy at Canton. Liang Ta-jên replied, somewhat bluntly, that they had not, and by his manner more than his language showed that he resented our intervention in the matter. I expressed surprise that there should be such a delay in ascertaining the facts, and tried to convey the impression that I doubted the strict accuracy of the answer.
A note, dated the same day, and which must have been drafted at the time of my visit, reached the Portuguese Minister the following morning. In this communica- tion, of which a copy is inclosed, the Wai-wu Pu quote a telegram from the Viceroy at Canton, stating that the Chinese man-of-war anchored at a place called Yin K'eng, in the river opposite to Macao, where Chinese vessels have been in the habit of anchoring in the past without any interference on the part of the Portuguese authorities. Both the Viceroy and the Wai-wu Pu maintain that Yin K'eng is in Chinese waters, and deny the right of Portugal to exercise any supervision over Chinese vessels anchoring there.
As the place cannot be identified on any of the maps in this Legation, and the Portuguese Legation is largely dependent upon us for information regarding their own Colony, I am unable to express any opinion upon the Chinese contention until Baron Sendal receives a reply to a query which he has addressed to the Governor of Macao on the subject.
From the Memorandum copy of which is inclosed it will be seen that the Wai-wu Pu have agreed to accept the suggestion for a joint delimitation of the frontiers of Macao. The Acting Governor of the Portuguese Colony is of the opinion that this step affords the only possible solution of this intricate question, and it is to he hoped that the friction which now exists will at least be lessened if the parties can be brought together with the view of arriving at some understanding of their mutual differences.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
[1865 u-2
-21
306
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