[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.ỹ. O.
2
(4.)
Telegram dispatched to Banque de l'Indo-Chine, Puris, October 8, 1909.
Hillier wires as follows:---
$6
We think
An Imperial Edict has been issued appointing Board of Communication (Yuchuanpu), Peking, take our negotiations Hukuang Railway Loan. favourably of appointment. With reference to foregoing telegraph to us, what is the present situation? What are the prospects of conference? In the absence of informa- tion our position is very difficult."
We have wired Hillier as follows:-
Re
your
wire of 8th October.
We regard the information as satisfactory. Re my wire of 27th September. We have abandoned idea of convening conference for the present in deference to request of French, who desire to make fresh attempt themselves to secure joint diplomatic action, Peking, in favour of the object referred to in my wire of 3rd September."--ADDIS.
[B]
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[37591]
No. 1.
¡October 11.]
36185
RESE (REGE 3 NOV 09
794
SECTION 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received October 11.) (No. 346.) Sir,
Peking, September 22, 1909. WITH reference to your telegram No. 122 of the 24th July last, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith, in translation, copies of memoranda exchanged between the Russian Minister and the Wai-wu Pu regarding an arrangement made between the Russo-Chinese Bank and the Banque de l'Indo-Chine, by which the latter cedes to the former a portion of its share in the loan for the Canton-Hankow and Hankow-Szechuan Railways.
You will observe that the Chinese Government accedes to the arrangement, provided that the consent of the French bank is first obtained, that no objections are raised by the British, German, and American banks, and that the terms of the loan agreement are preserved intact.
The Russian Minister, in handing me the Chinese text of these memoranda on the 17th instant, explained that their object was to place the arrangement on official record, and that he considered it his duty to bring it to my knowledge, in view of the stipulation making its enforcement dependent upon the consent of the British bank.
I have communicated copies of the papers to Mr. E. G. Hillier, the local manager of the Hong Kong and Shanghae Bank, who is also acting as agent of the British and Chinese Corporation. He sees no objection to the arrangement.
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Note communicated by Russian Minister to Wai-wu Pu.
WITH regard to the foreign loan which is at present being arranged by the Chinese Government for the construction of the Hankow-Canton and Hankow-Szechuan Railways, China has on more than one occasion declared that, as a definite under- standing had been arrived at regarding the loan, there was no basis for further negotiation, and that Russian capitalists could not, therefore, participate therein.
The Russian Government, in view of the friendship existing between our two countries, is willing to accept the view expressed by the Wai-wu Pu, and will not insist upon the Russo-Chinese Bank being named in the agreement, but they are most desirous that the Chinese Government should give a separate written declaration to the effect that it shall be permissible for the Russo-Chinese Bank and the Banque de l'Indo Chine to enter into an arrangement whereby a portion of the latter's share of the loan shall be ceded to the Russo-Chinese Bank. This arrangement should not in any way interfere with the original agreement nor introduce any modification in its
terms.
If the board will carefully consider this proposal they will see that the Russian Government has no desire whatever to obstruct the Chinese Government in dealing with this matter, but is extremely desirous of protecting the interests of the Russo- Chinese Bank and of Russian and Chinese capitalists.
The favour of a reply is requested.
September 7, 1909.
[2471 -1]
་ ་ ་ FFL a v ། ༄༅ ལྟ་ ་ -a !,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.