[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
141
2
official, appealed to the Magistrate, who said he could do nothing against the Governor's soldiers. This has only just occurred, and Mr. Nelson, the representative of the British Asiatic Petroleum Company, has applied for redress through His Majesty's Consul at the port. The Governor of Nanchang is asked to pay the value of the oil, 2,000 taels, and an extra 1,000 taels as redress for his soldiers' behaviour.
I would respectfully beg to submit that, if practicable, the British gun-boats should be represented in the lake again as soon as possible. If this cruising ground, a most healthy part of the Yang-tsze Valley, should be lost to us, it will be a very great pity.
The lake is cool, and Nan-Kan, just inside the lake, is a place where gun-boats have gone for a long time now in the summer to escape from the heat of the Yang-tsze River. It makes a splendid health resort, and is most valuable to the Yang-tsze River gun-boats when the crew are falling sick.
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[28886]
No. 1.
[August 19.]
SECTION 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received August 19.)
(No. 145.) (Telegraphic.) P.
HANKOW-SZECHUAN Railway.
Peking, August 19, 1908.
Please refer to your telegram No. 110 of the 14th instant.
I instructed His Majesty's Consul-General at Hankow in June last to suggest to the Viceroy that he should receive Mr. Bland for the purpose of negotiating a loan for the line. Mr. Fraser did so on the 24th of that month, but the Viceroy did not accept the proposal. I do not think it likely that the Chinese have modified their views since then.
(Confidential.)
As regards the reported intention of the French to apply for the Szechuan Railway Concession, I learn from the French Minister that his Government have been considering the possibility of making such an application, and have consulted him on the subject. M. Bapst takes our position fully into consideration, and advocates a combination between the French and British interests for the joint conduct of the necessary negotiations.
It would seem that the China Central Railways Syndicate are themselves responsible for the introduction of the French into the question. They suggested to Mr. Bland, in a letter of the 14th July, that he should apply for the Hankow-Chengtu line, waiving for that purpose the rights to the Pukow-Sinyang line, and they hinted that he might obtain the support of the French, who might include the Szechuan Railway in their demands in connection with the settlement of the incident on the Yunnan frontier.
M. Bland is due to arrive in England in the course of next week, and I would suggest that he should be consulted before arriving at a decision.
[1897 t-1]
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
141
2
official, appealed to the Magistrate, who said he could do nothing against the Governor's soldiers. This has only just occurred, and Mr. Nelson, the representative of the British Asiatic Petroleum Company, has applied for redress through His Majesty's } Consul at the port. The Governor of Nanchang is asked to pay the value of the oil, 2,000 taels, and an extra 1,000 taels as redress for his soldiers' behaviour.
I would respectfully beg to submit that, if practicable, the British gun-boats should be represented in the lake again as soon as possible. If this cruising ground, a most healthy part of the Yang-tsze Valley, should be lost to us, it will be a very great pity.
The lake is cool, and Nan-Kan, just inside the lake, is a place where gun-boats have gone for a long time now in the summer to escape from the heat of the Yang-tsze River. It makes a splendid health resort, and is most valuable to the Yang-taze River gun-boats when the crew are falling sick.
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[28886]
No. 1.
[August 19.]
SECTION 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received August 19.)
(No. 145.) (Telegraphic.) P.
HANKOW-SZECHUAN Railway.
Peking, August 19, 1908.
Please refer to your telegram No. 110 of the 14th instant.
I instructed His Majesty's Consul-General at Hankow in June last to suggest to the Viceroy that he should receive Mr. Bland for the purpose of negotiating a loan for the line. Mr. Fraser did so on the 24th of that month, but the Viceroy did not accept the proposal. I do not think it likely that the Chinese have modified their views since then.
(Confidential.)
As regards the reported intention of the French to apply for the Szechuan Railway Concession, I learn from the French Minister that his Government have been con- sidering the possibility of making such an application, and have consulted him on the subject. M. Bapst takes our position fully into consideration, and advocates a combination between the French and British interests for the joint conduct of the necessary negotiations.
It would seem that the China Central Railways Syndicate are themselves respon- sible for the introduction of the French into the question. They suggested to Mr. Bland, in a letter of the 14th July, that he should apply for the Hankow-Chengtu line, waiving for that purpose the rights to the Pukow-Sinyang line, and they hinted that he might obtain the support of the French, who might include the Szechuan Railway in their demands in connection with the settlement of the incident on the Yunnan frontier.
M. Bland is due to arrive in England in the course of next week, and I would suggest that he should be consulted before arriving at a decision.
[1897 t-1]
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