[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.?.
¿RECR
5085
REGS 1. FEE 09
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[2641]
(No. 19.)
(Telegraphic.) P.
RAILWAY loan.
No. 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Sir J. Jordan.
See my telegram No. 14 of the 15th instant.
[January 19.]
SECTION 1.
Foreign Office, January 19, 1909.
The reply from Berlin to the Hong Kong and Shanghae Bank is that the matter now being discussed, being a provision of funds for railway purposes, and not a Railway Concession proper, does not come within the four corners of the Anglo- German Agreement of 1898, if this latter is still considered to be in force. The Germans state that they will go their own way if they are not allowed to participate, in accordance with the Agreement of 1895 between the banks.
The Belgians meanwhile have informed the French that the Chinese Government have approached them. The French have suggested an arrangement by which the Belgians should abandon the claims based upon the unredeemed bonds of the Canton- Hankow Railway, and receive in return 15 per cent. of the loan, half from the French share and half from the British share, together with 25 per cent. of the orders for railway material.
The Board of the British and Chinese Corporation will consider these proposals at their meeting on Thursday next, the 21st instant.
[2104 7-1]
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