CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 478

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

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→ AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[19121]

No. 1.

476

[May 21.]

SECTION 1.

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1

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Sir Edward Grey to Sir F. Villiers.

(No. 27.) Sir,

Foreign Office, May 21, 1909. THE Portuguese Minister informed me on the 19th instant that he had had a telegram from his Government, in which they expressed their gratitude for the action of Sir John Jordan at Peking, which seemned to have contributed very greatly to the furtherance of the negotiations between Portugal and China. The Portuguese Government now heard that the Chinese were quite willing to continue the negotiations, and the Portuguese Special Commissioner was therefore starting in a day or two.

I expressed my pleasure at this, and asked whether M. de Soveral had any further news to give me about recruiting in Angola. The last time he had spoken to me I had understood that the Portuguese Government were on the eve of putting an end to I asked him this question the whole system of illegitimate recruiting in Angola. because public opinion here would not tolerate our continuing to give British support

on behalf of a Portuguese Colony in China if the evils complained of in Angola under Portuguese rule were not remedied.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

E GREY.

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