CO129-362 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 438

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

0327

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[31460]

No. 1.

[August 20.] 02 1 SEP 09

SECTION 2.

436

Sir Edward Grey to Sir J. Jordan.

(No. 244.)

Foreign Office, August 20, 1909. Sir,

I GAVE the Chinese Minister on the 17th instant a memorandum, a copy of which I inclose herewith,* explaining in detail the way in which the Chinese authorities had broken the conditions with regard to the Hankow-Ningpo Railway. I told him that the matter had already been explained by you in Peking, but I wished

to impress upon him the importance which I attached to it, and how badly I thought the Chinese authorities were behaving.

The Minister said there were great difficulties with the provincial gentry. The Wai-wu Pu did their best, but they lacked power.

I replied that things had been in a most unsatisfactory condition since the change of Government after the death of the Dowager-Empress. If the Wai-wu Pu were Prince Ching did not see foreign doing their best, it was not at all a good best. representatives, and the Wai-wu Pu seemed to consist of officials who were too much occupied, or too old, or too unwell, to transact business effectively.

The Chinese Minister seemed to be quite aware of the condition of the Wai-wu Pu, and of how much more active Yuan-Shi-Kai had been than Prince Ching His attitude towards the Wai-wu Pu seemed to be one of benevolent

now was.

regret.

I observed that the case of the Hankow-Ningpo Railway was but one instance of the difficulties we were having with the Chinese Government. I had put it before him because, if things went on in their present unsatisfactory fashion, the pot which was already bubbling might boil over altogether, and there would be serious trouble.

He said he would certainly explain the matter to the Wai-wu Pu. He himself was quite prepared to express to them his own opinion strongly.

* Printed separately,

[2391 -2]

24

I am, &c.

E. GREY.