This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
C. O.
33035
RECR [August 29 SEP 08
CONFIDENTIAL.
[29248]
No. 1.
SECTION 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Senhor da Camara Manoel.
Sir,
Foreign Office, August 28, 1908.
I HAVE been in communication with His Majesty's Minister at Peking with reference to the Memorandum communicated by you on the 17th instant on the subject of the negotiations which are proceeding between the Portuguese and Chinese Governments with regard to Macao, and I have the honour to inform you that His Majesty's Government will be glad to send fresh instructions to Sir J. Jordan to support Baron Senda's demand for the prompt appointment of Chinese Delegates to the proposed Joint Commission of delimitation.
As regards the demand for the evacuation of the territory in dispute, pending delimitation, Sir J. Jordan has expressed a fear that China will not consent to this condition, and that insistence on this point will probably be met by a refusal to appoint the Commission; but he is of opinion that if the condition as to the recall of the troops were dropped he could materially assist in procuring the appointment of the Chinese Delegates. He draws attention to the difficulties that attended the negotiations of 1902 with regard to these territories, and expresses a fear that these difficulties are even greater now than they were then.
In these circumstances His Majesty's Government, with every wish to show their goodwill to the Portuguese Government, would have to be provided with much fuller particulars as to the circumstances than are at present at their disposal, before deciding whether they could support Portugal in her demand for the immediate withdrawal of the Chinese troops. Final instructions will be sent to Sir J. Jordan when His Majesty's Government learn whether or not the Portuguese Government propose to proceed with the demand for evacuation, and in the meantime Sir J. Jordan is keeping in close touch with his Portuguese colleague, and is already rendering assistance whenever he can usefully do so.
I have, &c. (Signed) E. GREY.
[1905 ee-1]
483
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
C. O.
33035
RECR [August 29 SEP 08
CONFIDENTIAL.
[29248]
No. 1.
SECTION 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Senhor da Camara Manoel.
Sir,
Foreign Office, August 28, 1908. HAVE been in communication with His Majesty's Minister at Peking with reference to the Memorandum communicated by you on the 17th instant on the subject of the negotiations which are proceeding between the Portuguese and Chinese Govern- ments with regard to Macao, and I have the honour to inform you that His Majesty's Government will be glad to send fresh instructions to Sir J. Jordan to support Baron Sendal's demand for the prompt appointment of Chinese Delegates to the proposed Joint Commission of delimitation.
As regards the demand for the evacuation of the territory in dispute, pending delimitation, Sir J. Jordan has expressed a fear that China will not consent to this condition, and that insistence on this point will probably be met by a refusal to appoint the Commission; but he is of opinion that if the condition as to the recall of the troops were dropped he could materially assist in procuring the appointment of the Chinese Delegates. He draws attention to the difficulties that attended the negotiations of 1902 with regard to these territories, and expresses a fear that these difficulties are even greater now than they were then.
In these circumstances His Majesty's Government, with every wish to show their goodwill to the Portuguese Government, would have to be provided with much fuller particulars as to the circumstances than are at present at their disposal, before deciding whother they could support Portugal in her demand for the immediate withdrawal of the Chinese troops. Final instructions will be sent to Sir J. Jordan when His Majesty's Government learn whether or not the Portuguese Government propose to proceed with the demand for evacuation, and in the meantime Sir J. Jordan is keeping in close touch with his Portuguese colleague, and is already rendering assistance whenever he can usefully do so.
I have, &c. (Signed) E. GREY.
[1905 ee-1]
483
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