This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
392
[July 18.]
SECTION 1.
2
said, I do not think he has given up all hope of persuading his Government to waive their Treaty rights and allow the railway as far as Fakumen to be built with branch lines to the South Manchurian Railway, and it is possible that the Japanese Government may yield. I venture to think that the strategical reasons against this railway weigh heavier with them than any damage it may do financially to the South Manchurian Railway.
A copy of this despatch has been sent to His Majesty's Minister at Peking,
I have, &c.
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[24838]
No. 1.
(Signed) CLAUDE M. MACDONALD,
Sir C. MacDonald to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received July 18.)
(No. 163.) Sir,
Tokió, June 19, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith a statement, drawn up in the Japanese Foreign Office and unofficially communicated to me by Count Hayashi on the 9th June, dealing with the Resolution adopted by the Newchwang Chamber of Commerce on the question of the projected Hsinmintun-Fakumen Railway.
In communicating to me this statement his Excellency expressed the hope that I would forward a copy to Lord Ffrench, the agent of Messrs. Paulings at Peking, which I accordingly did.
Within three days of my receiving this document it was published in all the foreign newspapers of Japan, and has, I understand, been forwarded for publication to all the leading foreign journals of the Far East, with the object, no doubt, of counteracting the effect that may have been produced by the publication of the Resolution of the Newchwang Chamber.
Judging from the tone of this document, it might be concluded that no further hope need be entertained of the Chinese Government being allowed to construct the railway in question, or, in fact, any railway at all within the limits of the three provinces.
Knowing, however, as I do, the views held by Baron Hayashi, late Japanese Minister at Peking (see my despatch No. 132, Confidential, of the 3rd June), I am of the opinion that the matter is still under consideration, and, in spite of the justification of the Japanese position, as set forth in the inclosed statement, that, from reasons of general policy, it is possible that Japan may still modify her present attitude. Much, however, will depend on the treatment China accords to other outstanding questions. Judging from a conversation I recently had with Mr. Denison, Adviser to the Japanese Foreign Office, it is exceedingly unlikely that Japan will consent to a continuation of the line to Tsitsihar,
(Copy to Peking.)
I have, &c.
(Signed) CLAUDE M. MACDONALD,
Inclosure in No. 1.
Statement by the Japanese Foreign Office respecting the projected Hsinmintun-Fakumen Railway.
IN November last a Contract was signed between the Chinese Government and the British firm of Pauling and Co., providing for the construction of a railway line from Hsinmintun to Fakumen in extension of the existing Shanhaikwan-Hsinmintun line.
The Japanese Government, upon learning, in August 1907, that negotiations on the subject of the projected line were in progress, warned the Chinese Government that the construction of the line in question would be in violation of the self-denying engagement contained in the Protocol annexed to the Treaty of Peking of December 1905. That engagement, in translation, reads as follows:-
"The Chinese Government engage, for the purpose of protecting the interests of the South Manchurian Railway, not to construct, prior to the recovery by them of the said railway, any main line in the neighbourhood of, and parallel to, that railway, or any branch line which would be prejudicial to the interest of the above-mentioned railway."
That warning was repeated in October and again in November, but was unheeded. When, in January of this year, the Japanese Government first learned of the conclusion
(1841 s) -1]
B
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.j
392
[July 18.]
SECTION 1.
2
said, I do not think he has given up all hope of persuading his Government to waive their Treaty rights and allow the railway as far as Fakumen to be built with brauch lines to the South Manchurian Railway, and it is possible that the Japanese Govern- ment may yield. I venture to think that the strategical reasons against this railway weigh heavier with them than any damage it may do financially to the South Manchurian Railway.
A copy of this despatch has been sent to His Majesty's Minister at Peking,
I have, &c.
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[24838]
No. 1.
(Signed) CLAUDE M. MACDONALD,
Sir C. MacDonald to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received July 18.)
(No. 163.) Sir,
Tokió, June 19, 1908. I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith a statement, drawn up in the Japanese Foreign Office and unofficially communicated to me by Count Hayashi on the 9th June, dealing with the Resolution adopted by the Newchwang Chamber of Commerce ou the question of the projected Hsinmintun-Fakumen Railway.
In communicating to me this statement his Excellency expressed the hope that I would forward a copy to Lord Ffrench, the agent of Messrs. Paulings at Peking, which I accordingly did.
Within three days of my receiving this document it was published in all the foreign newspapers of Japan, and has, I understand, been forwarded for publication to all the leading foreign journals of the Far East, with the object, no doubt, of counteracting the effect that may have been produced by the publication of the Resolution of the Newchwang Chamber.
Judging from the tone of this document, it might be coucluded that no further hope need be entertained of the Chinese Government being allowed to construct the railway in question, or, in fact, any railway at all within the limits of the three provinces.
am of
Knowing, however, as I do, the views held by Baron Hayashi, late Japanese Minister at Peking (see my despatch No. 132, Confidential, of the 3rd June), opinion that the matter is still under consideration, and, in spite of the justification of the Japanese position, as set forth in the inclosed statement, that, from reasons of general policy, it is possible that Japan may still modify her present attitude. Much, however, will depend on the treatment China accords to other outstanding questions. Judging from a conversation I recently had with Mr. Denison, Adviser to the Japanese Foreign Office, it is exceedingly unlikely that Japan will consent to a continuation of the line to Tsitsihar,
(Copy to Peking.)
I have, &c.
(Signed) CLAUDE M. MACDONALD,
Inclosure in No. 1.
Statement by the Japanese Foreign Office respecting the projected Hsinmintun-Fakumen
Railway.
IN November last a Contract was signed between the Chinese Government and the British firm of Pauling and Co., providing for the construction of a railway line from Hsinminton to Fakumen in extension of the existing Shanhaikwau-Hsinmintun line.
The Japanese Government, upon learning, in August 1907, that negotiations on the subject of the projected line were in progress, warned the Chinese Government that the construction of the line in question would be in violation of the self-denying engagement contained in the Protocol annexed to the Treaty of Peking of December 1905. That engagement, in translation, reads as follows:-
"The Chinese Government engage, for the purpose of protecting the interests of the South Manchurian Railway, not to construct, prior to the recovery by them of the said railway, any main line in the neighbourhood of, and parallel to, that railway, or any branch line which would be prejudicial to the interest of the above-mentioned railway."
That warning was repeated in October and again in November, but was unheeded. When, in January of this year, the Japanese Government first learned of the conclusion
(1841 s) -1]
B
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