CO129-362 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 481

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

REC

REGP 25 SEP 09

CHINA RAILWAYS.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[32475]

No. 1.

[August 30.]

479

SECTION 1.

Mr. O'Beirne to Sir Edward Grey.---(Received August 30.)

(No. 478.) Sir,

St. Petersburgh, August 26, 1909. WITH reference to my despatch No. 459 of the 8th instant on the subject of the recent dispute between China and Japan respecting the Antung-Mukden railway, I have the honour to state that the "Novoe Vremya" in its issue of the 22nd instant publishes a leading article commenting on the question in terms showing the apprehension with which Russians view the steps taken by Japan to consolidate her position on Manchuria. After recounting the steps taken by the Japanese Govern- ment which terminated in the signing at Mukden of a memorandum permitting the work of reconstruction to be begun on the following day, the "Novoe Vremya"

says

"Thus, in the course of one single day, the Japanese broke down the obstinacy of China, and in two weeks obtained from her even co-operation in an enterprise which essentially threatens Chinese interests. When the Antung-Mukden line is finished, Japan will be linked with the centre of Manchuria by two railways, one uniting Mukden with Port Arthur and Dairen, which is already working, the other intersecting the whole of Corea, which will be ready in the immediate future. When that is done Japan will be able to move her troops, in case of need, into Manchuria and to the frontier of Siberia over two well-equipped roads. Besides strengthening themselves in China economically and politically, the Japanese acquire over and above this an enormous strategical superiority over Russia.

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A truly remarkable position of affairs has now been created on our Far Eastern frontier. In juxtaposition with that frontier and running with it for an enormous distance is a territory nominally in the possession of the Chinese Emperor. In reality its actual master is not the Emperor of China, nor the local population, but the foreign government of a distant group of islands. The population of Manchuria, formerly under the administration of Peking, is actually dependent in the most important questions on the good will and calculations of Tokyo.

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"We have seen how the Japanese Government has just managed things in the question of the Antung-Mukden railway: the Japanese lay down the line just when they like and wherever they like, without any scruples as regards the wishes of the Chinese Government. The Japanese decide, and the Chinese authorities, having begun to object, place their seal with the dragon on the decision of Tokyo, against which there is no appeal. On the other hand, the decisions of the Government at Peking concerning its own country have no value whatever unless approved of at Tokyo, as was proved by the issue of the Fakumen-Sintuinting extension question.

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"If we take into account the fact that this railway projected by the Chinese would have been at such a distance from the Mauchurian line that it could not have caused any harm to the latter, that it was to be only 75 versts in length, and that without doing any injury to the Japanese it was of enormous importance for China, inasmuch as it was to unite her provinces with the territory of Manchuria- taking all this into consideration, we are enabled to view the obstinate opposition of the Japanese in its proper light.

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'Japan wishes to be the one sole master in Manchuria, and to work her will there in spite of everything, thereby ousting the lawful owner from all his positions."

I have, &c.

HUGH O'REIRNE.

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