CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 376

C.0. 17226

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

REC

[B]

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[16633]

No. 1.

Foreign Office to War Office.

Reg 2! MAY 09

374

[May 10.]

SECTION 1.

i

Sir,

Foreign Office, May 10, 1909. WITH reference to War Office letter of the 23rd March I am directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to transmit to you herewith, to be laid before the Secretary of State for War, copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Minister at Peking giving his views on the question of the Legation Guards at that capital, and the more general one of the maintenance of British troops in North China.

The reasons given by Sir J. Jordan against making any changes at present in the strength of His Majesty's forces at Peking and in North China generally appear to Sir E. Grey to have much force, and, while agreeing that it is inconvenient that some Powers should reduce their forces without reference to the others, he does not consider that any good result would be attained by making representations on the subject to the Powers concerned.

I am, &c. (Signed)

• Sir J. Jordan, No. 164, April 12, 1909.

W. LANGLEY.

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