This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government
CONFIDENTIAL.
[27705]
No. 1.
4 SE 08
[August 18.]
SECTION 1.
Sir,
Foreign Office to China Association.
Foreign Office, August 18, 1908.
IN the letter from this Office of the 27th ultimo you were informed that Secretary Sir E. Grey was awaiting the receipt of a Report from His Majesty's Minister at Peking relative to the proposed extension of the International Settlement at Shanghae to Paoshan.
It appears from the Report, which has now been received, that the extension of the International Settlement arranged in 1899 was intended to include the lands under reference, but the Chinese authorities were then resolute in excluding them, alleging that they were in another administrative district, and that for that reason it was out of the question to bring them within the area of the Treaty port of Shanghae. This contention was, it was stated, not then admitted; but, rather than allow the negotiations to fall through, the exclusion was acquiesced in by the Municipal Council, and the boundary offered by the Chinese authorities was accepted.
The question has now again been brought forward, in consequence, apparently, of a conflict of police jurisdiction over certain roads made by the Municipal Council on land purchased by the municipality wholly or partly beyond Settlement limits.
While recognizing the desirability of the proposed extension, Sir J. Jordan expresses the personal view that, unless the Viceroy of Nanking and the provincial authorities are in the first place prevailed upon by the Consular Body at Shanghae to support it, there is little prospect of the Central Government considering it favourably.
But I am to state, for the confidential information of the China Association, that Sir J. Jordan also draws attention to the dangers of the use of force by the Municipal Council for the purpose of asserting or maintaining the right of police over extra Settlement roads, which has been exercised by the Councils with the tacit acquiescence of the local Chinese authorities for years past, and he points out that, if the exercise of this right is seriously objected to, the proper course is to invite the Chinese authorities to state their objections in the regular manner, and to arrange a maintenance of the status quo while these are under discussion.
I am to add that Sir E. Grey has approved Sir J. Jordan's attitude on the question, with which he fully concurs.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
F. A. CAMPBELL.
[1908-1-1]
J
A
881
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32381
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government
439
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[27705]
No. 1.
4 SE 08
[August 18.]
SECTION 1.
Sir,
Foreign Office to China Association.
Foreign Office, August 18, 1908. IN the letter from this Office of the 27th ultimo you were informed that Secretary Sir E. Grey was awaiting the receipt of a Report from His Majesty's Minister at Peking relative to the proposed extension of the International Settlement at Shanghae to Paoshan.
It appears from the Report, which has now been received, that the extension of the International Settlement arranged in 1899 was intended to include the lands under reference, but the Chinese authorities wore then resolute in excluding them, alleging that they were in another administrative district, and that for that reason it was out of the question to bring them within the area of the Treaty port of Shanghae. This con- tention was, it was stated, not then admitted; but, rather than allow the negotiations to fall through, the exclusion was acquiesced in by the Municipal Council, and the boundary offered by the Chinese authorities was accepted. The question has now again been brought forward, in consequence, apparently, of a conflict of police jurisdiction over certain roads made by the Municipal Council on land purchased by the municipality wholly or partly beyond Settlement limits.
While recognizing the desirability of the proposed extension, Sir J. Jordan expresses the personal view that, unless the Viceroy of Nanking and the provincial authorities are in the first place prevailed upon by the Consular Body at Shanghae to support it, there is little prospect of the Central Government considering it favourably.
But I am to state, for the confidential information of the China Association, that Sir J Jordan also draws attention to the dangers of the use of force by the Municipal Council for the purpose of asserting or maintaining the right of police over extra Settlement roads, which has been exercised by the Councils with the tacit acquiescence of the local Chinese authorities for years past, and he points out that, if the exercise of this right is seriously objected to, the proper course is to invite the Chinese authorities to state their objections in the regular manner, and to arrange a maintenance of the status quo while these are under discussion.
I am to add that Sir E. Grey has approved Sir J. Jordan's attitude ou the question, with which he fully concurs.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
F. A. CAMPBELL.
[1905 $-1
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