CO129-360 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 42

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government

CHINA RAILWAYS.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[43323]

No. 1.

[December 12.]

SECTION 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received December 12.)

(No. 477. Confidential.) Sir,

Peking, October 26, 1908.

I HAVE the honour to inclose herewith copy of a confidential despatch from His Majesty's Consul at Chinan-fu, forwarding the German text and English translation of an Agreement which was concluded at Chinan-fu on the 21st March, 1900, between the Chinese Government and the Shantung Railway Company, in regard to the Tsingtau-Chinan Railway.

Mr. Giles obtained this document in consequence of a request of the Hong Kong Government, but, though interesting for other reasons, it does not appear from its nature that it can be of much assistance in the negotiations for a Joint Working Agreement respecting the Canton-Kowloon Railway.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

Acting Consul Giles to Sir J. Jordan,

(No. 17. Confidential.) Sir,

J. N. JORDAN.

Chinan, October 16, 1908. I RECENTLY received a despatch from the Hong Kong Government requesting me to furnish any information I might be able to obtain as to the nature of the Joint Working Agreement between the German and Chinese Governments with regard to the Tsingtau-Chinan Railway, as it would be of material assistance in the negotiations for a Joint Working Agreement of the Kowloon-Canton Railway. A similar request was addressed to me by the Wei-hai Wei Government.

I eventually obtained from Mr. Hildebrand, the General Manager of the Shantung Railway Company, a copy of the German and Chinese text of the required Agreement, which I forwarded to Hong-Kong and to Wei-hai Wei, together with an English translation of the former.

As far as I am aware, no copy of this Working Agreement has yet been sent to the Legation, and I therefore have the honour to forward copy of my despatch on the subject to the Hong Kong Government, together with the inclosure in German, English, and Chinese.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

BERTRAM GILES.

(Confidential.) Sir,

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

Acting Consul Giles to Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong.

Chinan, October 16, 1908.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your despatch of the 15th September, asking for information as to the nature of the Joint Agreement between the German and Chinese Governments with regard to the Tsingtau-Chinan Railway.

Under clause 3 of section 2 of the Kiachow Agreement of the 6th March, 1898, the arrangements for the construction of the line were to be made between the two countries. However, they were eventually made between the Chinese authorities and the Shantung Railway Company, the German Government not being a direct party to the Agreement. I forward herewith copy of the German text of this Agreement, together with a translation thereof which I have made. I also forward copy of the

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