[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
[B!
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[8719]
No. 1.
C.O. 9564 628
RECR REGP18 MAR OC
[March 6.]
SECTION 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey-(Received March 6.)
(No. 24. Confidential.) Sir,
Peking, January 16, 1909. IN my despatch No. 14, Confidential, of the 6th instant I stated that a meeting of the Diplomatic Body was to be held on the following day to decide what representations should be made to the Prince Regent or the Chinese Government with regard to the dismissal of his Excellency Yuan Shih-k'ai. The meeting in question, however, never took place, as the diversity of views which a reference to the various Governments had disclosed precluded any prospect of concerted action.
The Russian and French Ministers received no instructions until some days later, when the former was enjoined to abstain from action and the latter was authorized to join in making a representation only in case it was unanimously accepted by his colleagues.
The Russian Minister explained quite frankly that Yuan Shih-k'ai had always been regarded as an enemy of Russia by the Russian Government, and that, although he personally did not share that view, he, as a comparative newcomer, could not expect to convince his Government that his two predecessors had been mistaken in their estimate of Yuan Shih-k'ai.
The French Minister was on the point of leaving, and, although he had drafted and indorsed the proposed form of representation inclosed in my despatch No. 14, he was anxious to have a farewell audience with the Prince Regent, and probably kept that object in view in asking for instructions from his Government.
The German Minister strongly advocated the necessity of moving in the matter, but failed to secure the support of his Government for anything short of concerted action.
The Japanese attitude has been so fully described in my telegrams that it is unnecessary to elaborate it in further detail. The Japanese Legation maintains close relations with Tieh Liang, who is generally, and in all probability justly, regarded as the main instrument in Yuan's overthrow, and the Japanese Minister quoted at the outset the information which he had received from Tieh Liang as his reasons for abstaining from action. Tieb Liang's attitude with regard to the Customs succession, naval matters, and other questions affecting British interests, were unfortunately such as to preclude my sharing in the views which my Japanese colleague held as to the weight which should be attached to that statesman's advice.
Finding that concerted action was impossible, and still holding to the opinion that the attention of the Chinese Government should be seriously drawn to the incident, the American Minister and I decided to apply by telegraph to our Governments for authority to make a joint representation to the Wai-wu Pu on the subject. Before doing so we called together on our Japanese colleague and again asked him to join us, but M. Ijuin could not see his way to submitting the suggestion to his Government. On the receipt of telegrams approving of the course we had suggested, Mr. Rockhill and I each prepared a short statement in writing of what we proposed to say (copies inclosed), and addressed a joint letter to Prince Ching stating that we had important messages to deliver from our Governments, and asking him to grant us an interview for the purpose. We were received by his Highness, with whom was his Excellency Liang Tun-yen, on the afternoon of the 15th instant.
Mr. Rockhill, after briefly stating the object of our interview, repeated in a somewhat expanded form the substance of his written statement, and when he had finished, the Prince at ouce emphatically declared that the removal of Yuan Shih-k'ai should not be interpreted as denoting any change of policy. It was quite natural that it should be so regarded by foreign Powers, but in reality it had no connection either with internal reforms or foreign relations, and he could give his personal guarantee that, regrettable as the incident was from every point of view, it would not affect the unalterable resolve
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