¡This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.] 88
CHINA RAILWAYS,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[22275]
No. 1.
[June 29.]
SECTION 2.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received June 29.) (No. 207. Confidential.) Sir,
Peking, May 11, 1908. WITH reference to my despatch No. 127 of the 16th March, I have the honour to inclose, for your information, copies of further correspondence relating to the Hankow-Canton Railway.
The appointment of an Englishman, Mr. R. St. George Moore, as engineer of the Wuchang-Yochou section of the railway, has been under consideration by the Hupei Railway Bureau during the past month, but I have not yet heard that an Agreement has been signed. The proposed conditions of his employment are stated by Mr. Fraser in his despatch of the 1st May to Sir F. Lugard.
As regards the outstanding bonds, referred to in Mr. Fraser's despatch of the 21st April to Sir F. Lugard, I learn that the Belgian Minister is reinforcing the claim which is founded on Sheng's unauthorized promise (see Rockhill, p. 246) by another to the effect that these bonds, which are, I believe, the 2,220,000 dollars mentioned in the Washington Agreement of the 29th August, 1905, and are held in Belgium, must be redeemed at the price laid down in Article 21 of the Supplementary Agreement of the 13th July, 1900, between the Chinese Railway Administration and the American China Development Company (see p. 275 of Rockhill's Treaties) before any further loan transaction can be entered into.
The Chinese Government are contending, however, that the price of redemption of these bonds should be 90, which is that allowed for them in the Washington Agreement of the 29th August, 1905, and is also the price at which they were issued to the American China Development Company under the contract of the 14th April, 1898 (see p. 256 of Rockhill).
Sir F. Lugard telegraphed to me on the 7th May, in consequence of the suggestion of a supplementary loan in Mr. Fraser's despatch of the 21st April, asking whether I could ascertain the attitude of Chang Chih-tung, and inform him of the prospects of a British construction loan.
Sir Frederick said that he could find no indication that His Majesty's Government were pledged to support the British and Chinese Corporation only, and that he was strongly averse from any French control whatever, especially in South China.
I replied by telegraph on the 8th May stating that Mr. Fraser's suggestion seemed to me to be at least premature under present circumstances, and that if it had come to me first I should not have troubled his Excellency with it.
As for any prospect of help from Chang Chih-tung in regard to the Canton-Kowloon Joint Agreement, I referred his Excellency to the correspondence in 1905, and especially to Chang's letter of the 9th August of that year to Mr. Fraser, copy of which is inclosed herewith. I also said that His Majesty's Government were committed to the British and Chinese Corporation in regard to the Hankow-Canton line, and that I was instructed that I could not support any other British Syndicate without breach of faith to the French. On the subject of French participation, I mentioned that I could add nothing of importance to the correspondence between the Foreign Office and Colonial Office from June to September 1907, and also said that the prospects of an Anglo-French construction loan depended largely on the views of the new Hankow Viceroy, on which I was not yet in a position to form an opinion.
I may add that I have written to Mr. Fraser, privately pointing out, with reference to his correspondence with the Governor of Hong Kong, that, in a question of this kind, which has been the subject of negotiations with the Chinese Government, and of an understanding with French financiers and the French Government, his despatches should be addressed to the Legation direct. The Governor of Hong Kong, I said, was not in a position to deal with it, and His Majesty's Secretary of State would expect to receive any information through the Legation, instead of through the Colonial Office,
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
[1814 -2]
¡This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.] 88
CHINA RAILWAYS,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[22275]
No. 1.
[June 29.]
SECTION 2.
}
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received June 29.) (No. 207. Confidential.) Sir,
Peking, May 11, 1908. WITH reference to my despatch No. 127 of the 16th March, I have the honour to inclose, for your information, copies of further correspondence relating to the Hankow- Canton Railway.
The appointment of an Englishman, Mr. R. St. George Moore, as engineer of the Wuchang-Yochou section of the railway, has been under consideration by the Hupei. Railway Bureau during the past month, but I have not yet heard that an Agreement has been signed. The proposed conditions of his employment are stated by Mr. Fraser in his despatch of the 1st May to Sir F. Lugard.
As regards the outstanding bonds, referred to in Mr. Fraser's despatch of the 21st April to Sir F. Lugard, I learn that the Belgian Minister is reinforcing the claim which is founded on Sheng's unauthorized promise (see Rockhill, p. 246) by another to the effect that these bonds, which are, 1 believe, the 2,220,000 dollars mentioned in the Washington Agreement of the 29th August, 1905, and are held in Belgium, must be redeemed at the price laid down in Article 21 of the Supplementary Agreement of the 13th July, 1900, between the Chinese Railway Administration and the American China Development Company (see p. 275 of Rockhill's Treaties) before any further loan transaction can be entered into.
The Chinese Government are contending, however, that the price of redemption of these bonds should be 90, which is that allowed for them in the Washington Agree- ment of the 29th August, 1905, and is also the price at which they were issued to the American China Development Company under the contract of the 14th April, 1898 (see p. 256 of Rockhill).
Sir F. Lugard telegraphed to me on the 7th May, in consequence of the suggestion of a supplementary loan in Mr. Fraser's despatch of the 21st April, asking whether I could ascertain the attitude of Chang Chih-tung, and inform him of the prospects of a British construction loan.
Sir Frederick said that he could find no indication that His Majesty's Government were pledged to support the British and Chinese Corporation only, and that he was strongly averse from any French control whatever, especially in South China.
I replied by telegraph on the 8th May stating that Mr. Fraser's suggestion seemed to me to be at least premature under present circumstances, and that if it had come to me first I should not have troubled his Excellency with it.
As for any prospect of help from Chang Chih-tung in regard to the Canton-Kowloon Joint Agrec- ment, I referred his Excellency to the correspondence in 1905, and especially to Chang's letter of the 9th August of that year to Mr. Fraser, copy of which is inclosed herewith. I also said that His Majesty's Government were committed to the British and Chinese Corporation in regard to the Hankow-Canton line, and that I was instructed that I could not support any other British Syndicate without breach of faith to the French. On the subject of French participation, I mentioned that I could add nothing of importance to the correspondence between the Foreign Office and Colonial Office from June to September 1907, and also said that the prospects of an Anglo-French construction loan depended largely on the views of the new Hankow Viceroy, on which I was not yet in a position to form an opinion.
I may add that I have written to Mr. Fraser, privately pointing out, with reference to his correspondence with the Governor of Hong Kong, that, in a question of this kind, which has been the subject of negotiations with the Chinese Government, and of an understanding with French financiers and the French Government, his despatches should be addressed to the Legation direct. The Governor of Hong Kong, I said, was not in a position to deal with it, and His Majesty's Secretary of State would expect to receive any information through the Legation, instead of through the Colonial Office,
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
[1814 -2]
B
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