CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 460

C.O.

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.19075

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[18301]

No. 1.

Pec?

[May 156

SECTION 1,

8 JUN 30

458

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received May 15.)

(No. 132.) Sir,

Peking, March 27, 1909. WITH reference to the last paragraph of my despatch No. 30 of the 18th January last, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Consul-General at Shangbae, inclosing the Report of the Consular Committee appointed to inquire into the evidence which had brought about the condemnation for malpractices of the East Asiatic Dredging Company by the Whangpoo Conservancy Board.

As you will observe, this Committee have come to the same conclusion as the Conservancy Board, namely, that the charges of malpractices have been proved. At the same time they consider that the dredging free of charge of an additional 250,000 cubic yards will more than compensate the Chinese authorities for any loss which they may have sustained.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

J. N. JORDAN.

(No. 23.) Bir,

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

Consul-General Sir P. Warren to Sir J. Jordan.

Shanghae, March 22, 1909. AT the meeting of Consular Body held on the 22nd December last, a Committee, consisting of the Consuls-General for France, Germany, the United States, and Norway, and myself, was appointed to examine the evidence on which the Whangpoo Conservancy Board, arrived at the conclusions embodied in its Memorandum on the alleged irregu larities in connection with the dredging contract, and to report whether these conclusions were to be recommended to the Consular Body for acceptance.

The finding of the Committee, of which I had the honour to be elected Chairman, was that the dredging contractors had unquestionably been guilty of serious irregu larities, but that the dredging of an additional 250,000 cubic yards would more than compensate the Chinese Government for any loss it may have sustained thereby.

I have the honour to inclose a copy of the Committee's Report which, it was recommended, should be forwarded to the Diplomatic Body at Peking and to the Viceroy of Nanking.

I am also forwarding a copy of the Board's Memorandum, which has already appeared in the

press.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

PELHAM L. WARREN.

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

REPORT of the Committee appointed by the Consular Body to examine the conclusions arrived at by the Whangpoo Conservancy Board in their Memorandum on the alleged irregularities in connection with the Dredging Contract, and to report whether these conclusions are to be recommended to the Consular Body for acceptance.

THE depositions taken by the Conservancy Board and the correspondence connected with the inquiry were kindly supplied to the Committee by the Com- missioner of Customs. The documents have been carefully studied by each member in turn, and two meetings have been held. The conclusion unanimously arrived at by the Committee on the evidence before it is that the Dredging Contractors have been guilty of serious irregularities, and surprise is expressed that M. de Rijke was not

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