[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
629
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[July 263 hec
OCT 09
SECTION 4.
1
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received July 26.)
[28268]
(No. 125.) (Telegraphic.) P.
MACAO.
Peking, July 26, 1909.
I have the honour to refer to your despatch No. 122 of the 1st May instructing me to render all proper assistance to the Portuguese commissioner.
The Portuguese Government have instructed their representative here to show me two telegrams from the commissioner, from which it would appear that the negotiations were not progressing very rapidly. In doing so, M. Brederode asked me my opinion as to whether the Chinese Government would be likely to agree to arbitration if such a course were suggested to them.
I replied that it was unreasonable to expect a settlement of such an intricate question after the second sitting of the commission. The negotiations could hardly fail to be prolonged over several months, and it was far too soon to talk of arbitration under present conditions.
[2353 cc-4]
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