This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
34816
556
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[31040]
No. 1,
[September
23 SEP 08
SECTION 5.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey,-(Received September 7.)
(No. 330. Confidential.) Sir,
Peking, July 21, 1908. IN continuation of my despatch No. 289 of the 24th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copies of two despatches from His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton regarding the recent gun-boat incident at Macao and the strained relations which exist between the Government of the Portuguese Colony and the Chinese authorities at the provincial capital.
In a note dated the 17th instant, copy of which is inclosed, the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires notified the Wai-wu Pu that the Portuguese Government would shortly nominate Delegates to proceed to the delimitation of the boundaries of Macao in concert with the Chinese Commissioners appointed for the purpose. Acting under instructions from his Government, M. Brederode at the same time expressed a hope that China would withdraw her troops from Lappa and Vong Cam and strictly adhere to the state of things which obtained prior to the conclusion of the Treaty of the 1st December, 1857.
The Portuguese Government, he added, had only refrained from protesting against the landing of troops through its desire to reach an amicable solution of the question, but China could not be allowed to base its arguments for delimitation on this abstention.
I have, &c. (Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
A
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Fox to Sir J. Jordan.
(No. 23. Confidential.) Sir,
Canton, June 16, 1908. MY attention was recently drawn to a paragraph in the "Hong Kong Telegraph" to the effect that a Chinese gun-boat had been ordered out of Macao by the Portuguese authorities at an hour's notice.
I have made inquiries at the Portuguese Consulate-General, and M. de Moraes informs me that the statement in the newspaper is perfectly correct.
According to M. de Moraes, who was at Macao when the incident occurred, the Chinese gun-boat declined, on entering the port, to make the usual entry in the port register as to her name, nationality, length of stay, and the other particulars required by regulation, alleging specific instructions on the part of the Viceroy at Canton as the reason for refusing to comply with the regulations.
The Portuguese authorities thereupon gave the vessel an hour's notice to leave the port, or they would sink her, upon which she left.
M. de Moraes, on his return to Canton, followed up this decisive action by a written protest to the Viceroy against the discourtesy shown by the gun-boat.
To this protest, which was sent in five days ago, he has so far received no reply. M. de Moraes complains bitterly of the hostile attitude which the Canton authorities have recently adopted towards the Portuguese, and says that he finds it impossible to get any satisfaction in any of the questions that are constantly arising between the two Governments.
I have thought it well to bring this incident to your notice as being typical of the strained relations which have existed between the Governments of Canton and Macao ever since the "Tatsu Maru" case.
I have, &c. (Signed) H. H. FOX.
[1933 g-5]
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.~
34816
556
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[31040]
No. 1,
[September
23 SEF 08
SECTION 5.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey,-(Received September 7.)
(No. 330. Confidential.) Sir,
Peking, July 21, 1908. IN continuation of my despatch No. 289 of the 24th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copies of two despatches from His Majesty's Consul- General at Canton regarding the recent gun-boat incident at Macao and the strained relations which exist between the Government of the Portuguese Colony and the Chinese authorities at the provincial capital.
In a note dated the 17th instant, copy of which is inclosed, the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires notified the Wai-wu Pu that the Portuguese Government would shortly nominate Delegates to proceed to the delimitation of the boundaries of Macao in concert with the Chinese Commissioners appointed for the purpose. Acting under instructions from his Government, M. Brederode at the same time expressed a hope that China would withdraw her troops from Lappa and Vong Cam and strictly adhere to the state of things which obtained prior to the conclusion of the Treaty of the 1st December, 1857.
The Portuguese Government, he added, had only refrained from protesting against the landing of troops through its desire to reach an amicable solution of the question, but China could not be allowed to base its arguments for delimitation on this abstention.
I have, &c. (Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
A
¡
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Fox to Sir J. Jordan.
(No. 23. Confidential.) Sir,
Cunton, June 16, 1908. MY attention was recently drawn to a paragraph in the "Hong Kong Telegraph to the effect that a Chinese gun-boat had been ordered out of Macao by the Portuguese authorities at an hour's notice.
I have made inquiries at the Portuguese Consulate-General, and M. de Mornes informs me that the statement in the newspaper is perfectly correct.
According to M. de Moraes, who was at Macao when the incident occurred, the Chinese gun-boat declined, on entering the port, to make the usual entry in the port register as to her name, nationality, length of stay, and the other particulars required by regulation, alleging specific instructions on the part of the Viceroy at Canton as the reason for refusing to comply with the regulations.
The Portuguese authorities thereupon gave the vessel an hour's notice to leave the port, or they would sink her, upon which she left.
だ
M. de Moraes, on his return to Canton, followed up this decisive action by a written protest to the Viceroy against the discourtesy shown by the gun-boat.
To this protest, which was sent in five days ago, he has so far received no reply. M. de Moraes complains bitterly of the hostile attitude which the Canton authorities have recently adopted towards the Portuguese, and says that he finds it impossible to get any satisfaction in any of the questions that are constantly arising between the two Governments.
I have thought it well to bring this incident to your notice as being typical of the strained relations which have existed between the Governments of Canton and Macao ever since the "Tatsu Maru” case.
I have, &c. (Signed) H. II. FOX.
[1933 g-5]
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