This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
8
despatch No. 60 of the 4th June, would appear to take their origin in an intention on the part of the Chinese authorities to call in question the right of the Council to police municipal roads which are outside Settlement limits. So far as I am aware, the Council's policing of extra-Settlement roads was and is done with the tacit acquiescence only of the Chinese authorities, and I am not cognizant of any official document or understanding in which such a right has been formally conceded. Your despatch No. 60 makes no mention of any such document or understanding, and I think that I may assume that the right, however useful and necessary its exercise may be, is not one which has been directly acknowledged by the responsible Chinese authorities either verbally or by letter.
I am aware of the importance of the question to the peace and good government of the International Settlements at Shanghae, and I am in full sympathy with the legitimate desires of the Council in the matter, but I am profoundly convinced that the use of force by the police of the Council or any action which would savour of high-handedness, for the purpose of asserting or maintaining a right of this nature, cannot be indulged in without serious risk of untoward consequences.
If the Chinese authorities object to the police jurisdiction which has been exercised for years past on the principal roads outside Settlement limits, the proper course, in my view, is to request them to put forward their objections in the regular manner, and to make arrangements for the maintenance of the status quo while the discussion of their objections is pending.
I shall be glad if you will bring the observations stated above to the notice of the British members of the Municipal Council confidentially, and I trust that you will exercise all your influence to promote an amicable discussion of any differences which have arisen between the Council and the Chinese authorities in this question of extra-Settlement police.
I am, &c.
(Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[27926]
No. 1.
[August 1]
SECTION 2.
436
4 SEP 08,
Chinese Central Railways to Foreign Office.—(Received August 11.)
(Extract.)
110, Cannon Street, London, August 10, 1908. SOME time ago my Directors instructed Mr. Bland, their representative in Peking, to proceed with the negotiations for a final contract for the Pukou-Sinyang line, the Preliminary Agreement for which was signed on the 6th January, 1899, being the last remaining of the group of Preliminary Agreements which were concluded at that period. His Majesty's Minister, at Mr. Bland's request, addressed the Chinese Government, calling their attention to the fact that this Preliminary Agreement was still unfulfilled and suggesting that negotiations should now be entered on, The reply was conveyed in a letter from Sir John Jordan, dated the 30th June, copy of which I have the honour to inclose. Mr. Bland replied to the objection raised by the Wai-wu Pu in a letter dated the 6th ultimo, copy of which is also inclosed. This has doubtless formed the basis of a further communication from Sir John Jordan to the Wai-wu Pu, but my Directors have so far no further information. It will be observed that Mr. Bland very properly points out that the change of circumstances alluded to by Prince Ching cannot be put forward as an excuse for refusing to enter on negotiations at all, inasmuch as such change has been fully recognized in the modifications introduced in the Final Agreement for the Tien-tsin-Pukou line, and my Directors are quite prepared to consider favourably any proposition the Chinese may make in regard to the terminal points, or the particular route which the line should follow.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Mr. Bland.
Sir,
Peking, June 30, 1908. IN accordance with the request contained in your letter of the 15th ultimo I addressed a note to the Wai-wu Pu, in which I drew the attention of the Chinese Government to the fact that the Preliminary Agreement of the 6th January, 1899, for the construction of a railway from Pukou to Sinyang remained unfulfilled, and suggested that negotiations should now be entered upon.
I regret to say that, in his reply which I have now received, Prince Ch'ing states that it is, in the opinion of the Chinese Government, inadvisable to open such negotiations at present. Circumstances, his Highness says, have changed since the date of the signing of the Preliminary Agreement, and, in view of the fact that the trace of the Tien-tsin-Pukou Railway has not yet been definitely fixed, it is still too early to decide whether the branch line to connect the Peking-Hankow and the Tien-tsin-Pukou Railways should start from Sinyang or some other station.
I would be glad if you would lay Prince Ching's views before the Board of Directors of the Chinese Central Railways.
I am, &c.
(Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Sir,
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Chinese Central Railways to Sir J. Jordan.
Peking, July 6, 1908. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your despatch of the 30th ultimo, which conveys to me, for the information of the Chinese Central Railways' Board of Directors, the reply of his Highness Prince Ching to your Excellency's request that negotiations should be commenced for the conclusion of the Final Agreement in re the
[1897 -2]
1
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
8
despatch No. 60 of the 4th June, would appear to take their origin in an intention on the part of the Chinese authorities to call in question the right of the Council to police municipal roads which are outside Settlement limits. So far as I am aware, the Council's policing of extra-Settlement roads was and is done with the tacit acquiescence only of the Chinese authorities, and I am not cognizant of any official document or under- standing in which such a right has been formally conceded. Your despatch No. 60 makes no mention of any such document or understanding, and I think that I may assume that the right, however useful and necessary its exercise may be, is not one which has been directly acknowledged by the responsible Chinese authorities either verbally or by letter.
I am aware of the importance of the question to the peace and good government of the International Settlements at Shanghae, and I am in full sympathy with the legitimate desires of the Council in the matter, but I am profoundly convinced that the use of force by the police of the Council or any action which would savour of high- handedness, for the purpose of asserting or maintaining a right of this nature, cannot be indulged in without serious risk of untoward consequences.
If the Chinese authorities object to the police jurisdiction which has been exercised for years past on the principal roads outside Settlement limits, the proper course, in my view, is to request them to put forward their objections in the regular manner, and to make arrangements for the maintenance of the status quo while the discussion of their objections is pending.
I shall be glad if you will bring the observations stated above to the notice of the British members of the Muncipal Council confidentially, and I trust that you will exercise all your influence to promote an amicable discussion of any differences which have arisen between the Council and the Chinese authorities in this question of extra- Settlement police.
I am, &c.
(Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[27926]
No. 1.
[August 1]
SECTION 2.
436
4 SEP 08,
Chinese Central Railways to Foreign Office.—(Received August 11.)
(Extract.)
110, Cannon Street, London, August 10, 1908. SOME time ago my Directors instructed Mr. Bland, their representative in Peking, to proceed with the negotiations for a final contract for the Pukou-Sinyang line, the Preliminary Agreement for which was signed on the 6th January, 1899, being the last remaining of the group of Preliminary Agreements which were concluded at that period. His Majesty's Minister, at Mr. Bland's request, addressed the Chinese Govern- ment, calling their attention to the fact that this Preliminary Agreement was still unfulfilled and suggesting that negotiations should now be entered on, The reply was conveyed in a letter from Sir John Jordan, dated the 30th June, copy of which I have the honour to inclose. Mr. Bland replied to the objection raised by the Wai-wu Pu in a letter dated the 6th ultimo, copy of which is also inclosed. This has doubtless formed the basis of a further communication from Sir John Jordan to the Wai-wa Pu, but my Directors have so far no further information. It will be observed that Mr. Bland very properly points out that the change of circumstances aliuded to by Prince Ching cannot be put forward as an excuse for refusing to enter on negotiations at all, inasmuch as such change has been fully recognized in the modifications introduced in the Final Agreement for the Tien-tsin-Pukou line, and my Directors are quite prepared to consider favourably any proposition the Chinese may make in regard to the terminal points, or the particular route which the line should follow.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Sir J. Jordun to Mr. Bland.
0
Sir,
Peking, June 30, 1908. IN accordance with the request contained in your letter of the 15th ultimo I addressed a note to the Wai-wu Pu, in which I drew the attention of the Chinese Government to the fact that the Preliminary Agreement of the 6th January, 1899, for the construction of a railway from Pukou to Sinyang remained unfulfilled, and suggested that negotiations should now be entered upon.
I regret to say that, in his reply which I have now received, Prince Ch'ing states that it is, in the opinion of the Chinese Government, inadvisable to open such negotiations at present. Circumstances, his Highness says, have changed since the date of the signing of the Preliminary Agreement, and, in view of the fact that the trace of the Tien-tsin-Pukou Railway has not yet been definitely fixed, it is still too early to decide whether the branch line to connect the Peking-Hankow and the Tien-tsin-Pukou Railways should start from Sinyang or some other station.
I would be glad if you would lay Prince Ching's views before the Board of Directors of the Chinese Central Railways.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
Sir,
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Chinese Central Railways to Sir J. Jordan.
Peking, July 6, 1908. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your despatch of the 30th ultimo, which conveys to me, for the information of the Chinese Central Railways' Board of Directors, the reply of his Highness Prince Ching to your Excellency's request that negotiations should be commenced for the conclusion of the Final Agreement in re the
[1897 -2]
1
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