6.0
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government. 1710
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[41497]
No. 1.
[November 28.]
SECTION 5.
47
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey-(Received November 28.) REL
(No. 453. Confidential.) Sir,
Res: 29 DEC 08
Peking, October 14, 1908.
WITH reference to your telegram No. 119 of the 2nd instant, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a note in which the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires notified the Wai-wu Pu that his Government would not insist for the present upon the withdrawal of the Chinese troops from the territory in dispute at Macao, and that three Portuguese Delegates had been appointed to take part in the Commission for the delimitation of Macao and its dependencies.
M. Brederode asked to be informed of the names of the officials whom the Chinese Government proposed to appoint as Commissioners.
On the 12th instant an official from the Wai-wu Pu called on M. Brederode and made to him a communication which he asked should be regarded as strictly confidential. It was to the effect that the Viceroy at Canton, to whom the proposal had been forwarded, regarded the Portuguese nominations in an unfavourable light and feared that the Commission would prove abortive unless the Portuguese Government could see its way to reconsider the question.
M. Brederode expressed his surprise at receiving such a communication even in an informal manner, and said that he would not feel justified in submitting the suggestion to his Government.
M. Brederode subsequently appealed to me to assist him in his difficulty, and this afternoon I made representations to the Wai-wu Pu on the subject. I reminded them that the idea of a joint Commission had largely emanated from themselves, that we had prevailed upon the Portuguese Government to accept it without insisting upon the withdrawal of the Chinese troops from the disputed territory, and that it would create an exceedingly bad impression if they now refused to complete the understanding simply because the Viceroy of Canton had some personal objections to the Commissioners nominated by Portugal.
The Ministers said that the Viceroy would have preferred to have Commissioners sent out from Portugal, and thought that there was little prospect of arriving at the settlement which he so earnestly desired by dealing with local officials who started with preconceived ideas on the subject.
I replied that it was always wise to give your opponent the credit of good faith and honest intentions, and that the Viceroy appeared to me to be prejudicing a settlement at the outset. There was an obvious advantage in having Commissioners who knew the locality and the history of the question, and probably the Chinese Government would find it advisable to appoint Delegates possessed of similar knowledge and experience. Personally, I was convinced that Portugal, equally with China, was sincerely anxious to arrive at a settlement of this long outstanding dispute.
Even if the Commission did not solve the dispute, it would at least collect a mass of evidence which would facilitate a final settlement, and he felt sure His Majesty's Government would do everything in their power to promote an amicable arrangement.
The Ministers admitted the justice of these remarks, said that they had every confidence in the good-will of His Majesty's Government, of which they had received many convincing proofs, and, without making any definite promise, conveyed the impression that they would reconsider the matter.
But I fear the attitude of the provincial Government, and the belief generally held by the Cantonese that the Portuguese position at Macao is an anachronism with which a reformed China may safely be trusted to deal in due time, militate strongly against any immediate settlement.
[2029 ce--5]
6.0
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government. 1710
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[41497]
No. 1.
[November 28.]
SECTION 5.
47
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey-(Received November 28.) REL
(No. 453. Confidential.) Sir,
Res: 29 DEC 08
Peking, October 14, 1908. WITH reference to your telegram No. 119 of the 2nd instant, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a note in which the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires notified the Wai-wu Pu that his Government would not insist for the present upon the withdrawal of the Chinese troops from the territory in dispute at Macao, and that three Portuguese Delegates had been appointed to take part in the Commission for the delimitation of Macao and its dependencies.
M. Brederode asked to be informed of the names of the officials whom the Chinese Government proposed to appoint as Commissioners.
On the 12th instant an official from the Wai-wu Pu called on M. Brederode and made to him a communication which he asked should be regarded as strictly confidential. It was to the effect that the Viceroy at Canton, to whom the proposal had been forwarded, regarded the Portuguese nominations in an unfavourable light and feared that the Commission would prove abortive unless the Portuguese Govern- ment could see its way to reconsider the question.
M. Brederode expressed his surprise at receiving such a communication even in an informal manner, and said that he would not feel justified in submitting the suggestion to his Government.
M. Brederode subsequently appealed to me to assist him in his difficulty, and this afternoon I made representations to the Wai-wu Pu on the subject. I reminded them that the idea of a joint Commission had largely emanated from themselves, that we had prevailed upon the Portuguese Government to accept it without insisting upon the withdrawal of the Chinese troops from the disputed territory, and that it would create an exceedingly bad impression if they now refused to complete the understanding simply because the Viceroy of Canton had some personal objections to the Commis- sioners nominated by Portugal.
The Ministers said that the Viceroy would have preferred to have Commissioners sent out from Portugal, and thought that there was little prospect of arriving at the settlement which he so earnestly desired by dealing with local officials who started with preconceived ideas on the subject.
I replied that it was always wise to give your opponent the credit of good faith and honest intentions, and that the Viceroy appeared to me to be prejudicing a settlement at the outset. There was an obvious advantage in having Commissioners who knew the locality and the history of the question, and probably the Chinese Government would find it advisable to appoint Delegates possessed of similar knowledge and experience. Personally, I was convinced that Portugal, equally with China, was sincerely anxious to arrive at a settlement of this long outstanding dispute.
Even if the Commission did not solve the dispute, it would at least collect a mass of evidence which would facilitate a final settlement, and he felt sure His Majesty's Government would do everything in their power to promote an amicable arrangement.
The Ministers admitted the justice of these remarks, said that they had every confidence in the good-will of His Majesty's Government, of which they had received many convincing proofs, and, without making any definite promise, conveyed the impression that they would reconsider the matter.
But I fear the attitude of the provincial Government, and the belief generally held by the Cantonese that the Portuguese position at Macao is an anachronism with which a reformed China may safely be trusted to deal in due time, militate strongly against any immediate settlement.
[2029 ce--5]
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