CO129-356 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1909 [4-6] — Page 158

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

A : wik mi 152 reference to, and the knowledge of, this Government.

A (c.) This Government, it appears to me, has reasonable grounds for complaint in that an arrangement of such importance was made without its knowledge and concurrence. The arrangement clearly had a money value since it was made the means of obtaining privileges elsewhere. Meanwhile this Government had more than once to complain of attempts by the Chinese Official in charge of the telegraphs (who was practically a Government nominee) to acquire a position outside the scope of his duties, and to interfere in political matters. It also lost what might have been a valuable source of Revenue had a royalty been imposed on telegrams transmitted over the lines in British Territory or a lease of the privilege been sold.

(a.) These conditions existed, however, until the Chinese Government took steps to nationalise its telegraphs, and to compulsorily expropriate the shareholders in the Chinese Company. It was this action on the part of the Chinese Government which first directed my attention to the matter, for anomalous as the previous conditions were, they would become still more so if the portion of the line operated by the Company in British Territory and the rights it had acquired from the Eastern Extension

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A : wik mi 152 reference to, and the knowledge of, this Government. A (c.) This Government, it appears to me, has reasonable grounds for complaint in that an arrangement of such importance was made without its knowledge and concurrence. The arrangement clearly had a money value since it was made the means of obtaining privileges elsewhere. Meanwhile this Government had more than once to complain of attempts by the Chinese Official in charge of the telegraphs (who was practically a Government nominee) to acquire a position outside the scope of his duties, and to interfere in political matters. It also lost what might have been a valuable source of Revenue had a royalty been imposed on telegrams transmitted over the lines in British Territory or a lease of the privilege been sold. (a.) These conditions existed, however, until the Chinese Government took steps to nationalise its telegraphs, and to compulsorily expropriate the shareholders in the Chinese Company. It was this action on the part of the Chinese Government which first directed my attention to the matter, for anomalous as the previous conditions were, they would become still more so if the portion of the line operated by the Company in British Territory and the rights it had acquired from the Eastern Extension

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A : wik mi 152 reference to, and the knowledge of, this Government. A (c.) This Government, it appears to me, has reasonable grounds for complaint in that an arrange - -ment of such importance was made without its knowledge and concurrence. The arrangement clearly had a money value since it was made the means of obtaining privileges else- -where. Meanwhile this Government had more than once to complain of attempts by the Chinese Official in charge of the telegraphs (who was practically a Government nominee) to acquire a position outside the scope of his duties, and to interfere in political matters. It also lost what might have been a valuable source of Revenue had a royalty been imposed on telegrams transmitted over the lines in British Territory or a lease of the privilege been sold. (a.) These conditions existed, however, until the Chinese Government took steps to nationalise its telegraphs, and to compulsorily expropriate the share- -holders in the Chinese Company. It was this action on the part of the Chinese Government which first directed my attention to the matter, for anomalous as the previous conditions were, they would become still more so if the portion of the line operated by the Company in British Territory and the rights it had acquired from the Eastern Extension

2026-06-08 03:53:07 · Baseline

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wik mi

152

reference to, and the knowledge of, this Government.

(c.)

This Government, it appears to me,

has reasonable grounds for complaint in that an arrange -

-ment of such importance was made without its knowledge

and concurrence. The arrangement clearly had a money value

since it was made the means of obtaining privileges else-

-where. Meanwhile this Government had more than once to

complain of attempts by the Chinese Official in charge of

the telegraphs (who was practically a Government nominee)

to acquire a position outside the scope of his duties, and

to interfere in political matters. It also lost what might

have been a valuable source of Revenue had a royalty been

imposed on telegrams transmitted over the lines in British

Territory or a lease of the privilege been sold.

(a.)

These conditions existed, however,

until the Chinese Government took steps to nationalise its

telegraphs, and to compulsorily expropriate the share-

-holders in the Chinese Company. It was this action on the

part of the Chinese Government which first directed my

attention to the matter, for anomalous as the previous

conditions were, they would become still more so if the

portion of the line operated by the Company in British

Territory and the rights it had acquired from the Eastern

Extension

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