480
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
C.
46270
Rec [November 14.] 17 DEC 08
CONFIDENTIAL.
[39625]
No. 1.
SECTION 6.
(No. 440.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey,-(Received November 14.)
Peking, October 1, 1908.
WITH reference to my despatch No. 432, Confidential, of the 29th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of an interesting despatch from His Majesty's Consul-General at Mukden on the political situation at Harbin, which has just reached me as the Foreign Office bag is on the point of being closed.
Mr. Willis, it will be noticed, has made practically the same suggestion as I did with regard to the possibility of finding a solution of the Harbin question in the conversion of the railway territory into an international Settlement, and, seeing that the Russians by their numerical superiority would continue to retain the administrative control in their own hands, there should be no insuperable objections to the acceptance of a compromise on these lines.
It is clear, however, from what Mr. Willis learned at Harbin and from what the Russian Minister has told me here, that the Russian object is to obtain the recognition of the railway as a Russian Government line, and to convert the railway territory into a Russian Concession.
But, as pointed out to M. Korostovetz, Concessions at the ports do not contain 47 square miles of territory, are not administered by Generals or Companies, but are, on the contrary, applied and administered exclusively for commercial purposes.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul-General Willis to Sir J. Jordan.
(No. 61. Confidential.)
Mukden, September 26, 1908. Sir,
I HAVE the honour to submit the following report on the present political situation at Harbin, which has been gathered from conversations that I have held with the Taotai and the foreign Consular Representatives during my recent visit to that town.
The Taotai Shih Chao-chi, generally known to foreigners as Mr. Alfred Sze, who took over charge from Tu Taotai about three months ago, informed me that he had been compelled from force of circumstances to recognize provisionally the Russian Administration, but that whilst doing so he had expressly reserved all Chinese rights, whether arising from Treaties or from the general principles of international law. The present situation, however, Mr. Sze thought, was inconvenient from every point of view, and could not possibly continue. That it would be almost impracticable for the Chinese authorities to administer a Russian town of 20,000 inhabitants he admitted, but at the same time it was evident that, in his opinion, any recognition of the main Russian contention would imperil Chinese interests throughout Manchuria. He seemed to think that possibly some compromise might be arrived at, but apparently had not made up his mind as to the lines on which such compromise should be attempted. Meantime, he was carefully watching the situation, and taking every reasonable opportunity to protest against any invasion of Chinese rights.
The Russian authorities, I gathered from their own statements, find him a far more difficult official to deal with than his two immediate predecessors, from whom various Land, Timber, and Mining Concessions were obtained.
French, has spent some years in Europe and America, and is well acquainted with the Treaties and principles governing international relations.
The appointment of General Horwath, the President of the Chinese Eastern Railway, as Acting Consul-General would seem to indicate a change of policy on the
[2029 o--6]
རེ།ཡོ
480
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
C.
46270
Rec [November 14.] 17 DEC 08
←
CONFIDENTIAL.
[39625]
No. 1.
SECTION 6.
(No. 440.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey,-(Received November 14.)
Peking, October 1, 1908. WITH reference to my despatch No. 432, Confidential, of the 29th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of an interesting despatch from His Majesty's Consul-General at Mukden on the political situation at Harbin, which has just reached me as the Foreign Office bag is on the point of being closed.
Mr. Willis, it will be noticed, has made practically the same suggestion as I did with regard to the possibility of finding a solution of the Harbin question in the conversion of the railway territory into an international Settlement, and, seeing that the Russians by their numerical superiority would continue to retain the administrative control in their own hands, there should be no insuperable objections to the acceptance of a compromise on these lines.
It is clear, however, from what Mr. Willis learned at Harbin and from what the Russian Minister has told me here, that the Russian object is to obtain the recognition of the railway as a Russian Government line, and to convert the railway territory into a Russian Concession.
But, as pointed out to M. Korostovetz, Concessions at the ports do not contain 47 square miles of territory, are not administered by Generals or Companies, but are, on the contrary, applied and administered exclusively for commercial purposes.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul-General Willis to Sir J, Jordan.
(No. 61. Confidential.)
Mukden, September 26, 1908. Sir,
I HAVE the honour to submit the following report on the present political situation at Harbin, which has been gathered from conversations that I have held with the Taotai and the foreign Consular Representatives during my recent visit to
that town.
The Taolai Shih Chao-chi, generally known to foreigners as Mr. Alfred Sze, who took over charge from Tu Taotai about three months ago, informed me that he had been compelled from force of circumstances to recognize provisionally the Russian Administration, but that whilst doing so he had expressly reserved all Chinese rights, whether arising from Treaties or from the general principles of international law. The present situation, however, Mr. Sze thought, was inconvenient from every point of view, and could not possibly continue. That it would be almost impracticable for the Chinese authorities to administer a Russian town of 20,000 inhabitants he admitted, but at the same time it was evident that, in his opinion, any recognition of the main Russian contention would imperil Chinese interests throughout Manchuria. He seemed to think up his that possibly some compromise might be arrived at, but apparently had not made mind as to the lines on which such compromise should be attempted, Meantime, be was carefully watching the situation, and taking every reasonable opportunity to protest against any invasion of Chinese rights.
The Russian authorities, I gathered from their own statements, find him a far more difficult official to deal with than his two immediate predecessors, from whom various Mr. Sze speaks English and Land, Timber, and Mining Concessions were obtained.
French, has spent some years in Europe and America, and is well acquainted with the Treaties and principles governing international relations.
The appointment of General Horwath, the President of the Chinese Eastern Railway, as Acting Consul-General would seem to indicate a change of policy on the
[2029 o--6]
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