CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 24

This Document is the Property of His Britannic Malency's ad

C.O. 12195

RECR [January 14.1 APR OF

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

SECTION 4.

22

[1369]

No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received January 11.)

(No. 20.)

(Telegraphic.) P.

Peking, January 11, 1909.

DISMISSAL of Yuan Shih-kai.

-,

His Majesty's Ambassador at Tôkio has repeated to me his telegram No. 3 addressed to the Foreign Office.

the disgrace

upon

It is commonly believed here that the Japanese Government look of Yuan Shih-kai and Tong Shoa-yi as likely to lead their Manchurian negotiations to a successful issue, and therefore regard with no unfavourable eye the political situation in Peking. Sir Claude MacDonald's telegram seems to confirin this impression,

The statement that the modifications in the Concession Agreements have hit Japan more severely than any other foreign Power is not convincing to my mind. Also, taking into consideration such questions as the Yalu Forestry Agreement or the Chang Chun-Kirin Railway, Japan may well be considered to have been specially successful of late.

(Confidential.)

I was told yesterday by Liang Tun-yen, who has succeeded Yuan as President of the Wai-wu Pu, that it was his firm opinion that the Japanese, thanks to their influence On my with the Manchu faction, had done much towards bringing about Yuan's fall. hesitating to give credence to such a statement, he assured me that it was the truth, adding that a powerful and reorganized China would not be looked upon with any satisfaction by Japan.

In a conversation he had previously with Sir Walter Hillier his Excellency uttered the same sentiments.

[1370]

(No. 21.)

No. 2.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received January 11.)

(Telegraphic.) P.

CHINA-JAPAN telegraphs.

Peking, January 11, 1909.

Mr. Dresing, whom I approached on the receipt of your telegram No. 6 of the 9th instant, says that he sees no objection to the Eastern Extension Company being provided confidentially with copies of the Agreements in question, though ratification has not yet taken place.

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