CO129-363 - Public Offices & Others - 1909 — Page 266

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

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Now this, we consider, is a violation of the acknowledged etiquette to be observed by diplomatic agents of the world. According to John W. Foster in his work, "The Practice of Diplomacy," p. 106, "The relations of a resident envoy to the Foreign It is an established Office should be marked by the strictest etiquette of that office.

rule of the Department of State that all official business of foreign envoys should be transacted through the Secretary of State, whether they relate to his or other branches of the Government. Diplomats sometimes see other heads of departments informally about matters pending before them, but they never should do so without the consent of the Secretary of State previously obtained; and a similar practice is observed by other Governments."

Now there were two proper ways open to the French chargé d'affaires to act upon: firstly, to request the Wai-wu Pa to communicate his question and his recommendation with the Board of Posts and Communications; or, secondly, to previously obtain the permission of the Wai-wu Pu to address directly to the Board concerned the said question and the said recommendation.

We are not aware that the French chargé d'affaires did previously obtain the permission from the Wai-wu Pu, nor did he request the Wai-wu Pu to communicate the question or the recommendation with the Board of Posts and Communications. In fact, he went to the Yuchuan Pu personally, without doing the Wai-wu Pu the courtesy of first notifying it concerning his purpose.

This, as we declare in the foregoing paragraphs, is a breach of diplomatic etiquette. We are not concerned with his motives, whether they be good or otherwise, as a good or a bad motive does not give one the licence to act in contravention to an observed etiquette.

According to the same author, p. 104, "The first care of an envoy in his relation to his mission is to make himself persona grata at the Foreign Office and at the court or in Government circles. While a self-respecting Minister will never play the part of a toady, he should strive to make himself personally popular by studying the amenities of official and social intercourse, and by conformity to all innocent local It is in these relations that the customs, sentiments, and even prejudices. importance is seen of sending abroad not only men of ability, but of gentlemanly accomplishment."

To be impartial, we must admit that, as a representative of the French Republic, he must be fully aware of this etiquette, and will not voluntarily depart from it without some justification.

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[43081]

(No. 74.)

Sir,

No. 1.

Sir Edward Grey to M. Gaisford.

0

09899

[November 22 9 DEC 091

SECTION 3.

Foreign Office, November 22, 1909. M. DU BOCAGE, the Portuguese Foreign Minister, came to continue his conversation with me on the 22nd instant.

I informed him that Sir John Jordan, in reply to a telegram from me, had given

as his opinion that The Ilague Tribunal would be the authority for arbitration most acceptable to the Chinese.

M. du Bocage said that he would now propose arbitration formally. He wished, however, to have some understanding that, if arbitration was agreed to, the Chinese would meanwhile not interfere with the status quo.

I told him that clearly the status quo ought to be maintained pending arbitration, and something to this effect might be said to the Chinese.

I

am,

&c.

E. GREY.

[2495 y-3]

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

Extract from the "Peking Daily News" of October 28, 1909.

APOLOGY.

WE very sincerely regret to find that the article in our issue of the 25th criticising reported action of M. Boissonnas, the French chargé d'affaires, was based on assumptions wherein some vital points were still wanting.

We are now informed by the Wai-wu Pu that there has been nothing in M. Boissonnas' relations with it or in his action with regard to postal affairs to which any objection could be taken. We are given to understand that his intention to call upon his Excellency Hsu Shih Chang was made known to the chiefs of the Wai-wu Pu in advance, and that no opposition to his doing so was either made or thought of, and further that the personal intercourse of M. Boissonnas with the Wai-wu Pu and Chinese officials generally has been courteous and straightforward, and his official procedure quite correct.

As we have pointed out in our article, being "a representative of the French Republic, he must be fully aware of this etiquette and will not voluntarily depart from it without some justification." Justification for his action is now forthcoming.

We being entirely satisfied with the justification thus offered, consider it our duty to withdraw our criticism on the action of the French chargé d'affaires which our article contained, and to offer him our full apology.