CO129-362 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 451

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

RECO

FG9 22 SEP 09

CHINA RAILWAYS.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[32195]

No. 1.

[August 26.]

SECTION 1.

Mr. Rumbold to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received August 26.)

(No. 229.) Sir,

Tokyo, August 5, 1909. ON the 29th ultimo I received a telegram from His Majesty's Minister at Peking stating that the Manchurian negotiations had been resumed in that capital on the 26th July at the request of the Chinese Government.

The Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, in reply to an enquiry as to the present phase of the Antung-Mukden railway negotiations, said, on the 3rd instant, that this question was not treated as amongst those regarding which negotiations had been resumed at Peking last week. It had been treated all along as a separate matter.

Negotiations regarding this railway had been proceeding simultaneously at Peking and at Mukden. When the Japanese Government applied to the central government at Peking, they were told that the Viceroy at Mukden had been instructed to deal with the matter. When the Viceroy was approached, he replied that he had no instructions. The result was that although negotiations were said to be going on, they had really been at a standstill for some time.

When sounded as to the action which the Japanese Government proposed to take, Mr. Ishii replied that nothing could be said definitely as yet, but implied that the patience of his Government was nearly exhausted. Statements have been appearing in the local press to the effect that the Japanese authorities proposed to commence the reconstruction of the Antung-Mukden railway without any further delay. I gather that these statements have been inspired with a view to showing China what she may expect if she continues to procrastinate much longer.

Mr. Ishii further stated that if and when a decision of any kind were come to as to any action in the sense of that indicated in the press, the Japanese Government would of course inform His Majesty's Government.

In my despatch No. 212, Confidential, of the 21st ultimo I had the honour to report the substance of the Chinese Minister's statements with reference to the transfer of the Manchurian negotiations to Tokyo. It is not unlikely that the Minister was, in fact, instructed to open negotiations bere, but that he represented to his Government that he was not sufficiently conversant with the questions to handle the negotiations properly. The Chinese Government thereupon requested the reopening of the negotiations at Peking.

I have forwarded a copy of this despatch to Sir John Jordan.

I have, &c.

HORACE RUMBOLD.

[2389 co-1)