CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 25

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

23

C.O.

12195

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[January 12.]

RECR

SECTION 2.

REG

O APR OC

No. 1.

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

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(No. 23.)

(Telegraphic.) P.

CHINA-JAPAN telegraphs.

Peking, January 12, 1909.

The ratifications of the Agreements mentioned in my telegram No. 21 of the 11th instant were exchanged yesterday evening.

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No. 2.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey,—(Received January 12.) (No. 24.) (Telegraphic.) P.

Peking, January 12, 1909. PLEASE see my telegram No. 4 of the 3rd instant on the subject of the Macao dispute.

I had a conversation on the 10th instant with Liang Tun-yen, who, speaking in the name of the Wai-wu Pu, complained of the action of the Macao authorities in perpetually encroaching on the territorial rights of China in that neighbourhood. He alluded to the Portuguese cruisers which are reported to be on their way to the China seas, and spoke in such a manner as to impress me with the gravity of the general situation.

In reply, I pointed that the Portuguese on their side had serious misgivings as to the policy pursued by the Chinese Government, which would seem to have for its deliberate object the expulsion of the Portuguese out of Macao. It was my duty to remind him of our Treaty engagements with that country, and of the very grave consequences which might ensue were the British Government to be driven by a persistence in China's present policy to intervene more actively in Portugal's behalf.

His Excellency disclaimed any intention on the part of his Government to violate the Treaty rights under which Portugal held Macao. China aimed at nothing more than a proper delimitation of boundaries, and would welcome a thorough investigation with the object of arriving at a friendly settlement of the question. The Portuguese Government bad, however, nominated as Commissioners men whose activity was To the largely responsible for the aggressive attitude of the Macao authorities.

The appointment of such Commissioners the Chinese Government could not consent. Wai-wu Pu now proposed that a Portuguese official of high rank should be sent out from Europe, in which case they were ready to nominate an independent Chinese of a standing corresponding to that of the Portuguese Commissioner.

I replied that I would inform you by telegraph, so that the suggestion might be laid before the Portuguese Government for their consideration.

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