6
Enclosure 9 in No. 1.
M. Korostovets to Sir J. Jordan.
My dear Colleague,
December 14, 1909. I BEG to inform you that I have read with due attention the arguments expounded in your letter dated the 13th December, concerning the case of Messrs. S. Macgregor and Co.
This particular case touching the question of principle which is at present under consideration, 1 deem it necessary to refer the points contained in your Excellency's letter to my Government, and hope to be able to give you an answer at the earliest possible date.
Thanking you very much for the frank exposition of your views on the subject, I remain, &c.
(Translation.) Sir,
Enclosure 10 in No. 1.
Wai-wu Pu to Sir J. Jordun.
KOROSTOVETZ,
Peking, December 10, 1909. WITH reference to the organisation of municipalities on the lands of the Chinese Eastern Railway in Manchuria, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 23rd June, in which you state that the detailed regulations to be afterwards drawn up must receive the approval of the treaty Powers.
The Board were engaged in considering this matter when they received from the Russian Minister, M. Korostovetz, a copy of the Russian Government's notification--a detailed criticism of which has already been communicated to your Excellency in the form of a circular. When the Chinese and Russian Governments dispatch commis- missioners to Harbin to draw up the detailed regulations, the Chinese Government must necessarily firmly maintain the terms of her circular to the Powers in order to preserve her sovereign rights and requite the friendly interest which the various Powers have taken in this question.
With reference to your Excellency's despatch under acknowledgment the Board has arranged with the Russian Minister that His Majesty's consul will be informed when the negotiations open.
I have the honour to write this note for your Excellency's information, and beg that you communicate it to His Majesty's Government.
0
I avail, &c.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
[B]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Rece
191
4196
[January 2$.11 FEB 10
[1140]
No. 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Sir A. Nicolson,
SECTION 2.
(No. 20.) Sir,
Foreign Office, January 25, 1910. WITH reference to previous correspondence I transmit to your Excellency the accompanying copies of two despatches from His Majesty's Minister at Peking on the subject of the Russian railway settlement in Manchuria.
*
The earlier of these papers encloses a despatch from His Majesty's consul-general at Mukden pointing out that, with the exception of German subjects and protégés, American citizens, and British subjects, the foreign residents appear to be paying the municipal taxes demanded by the Russian Town Council at Harbin, and stating that British merchants are by no means averse from paying taxes if fairly assessed, and provided that they are not subjected to annoyance at the hands of the Russian police.
In commenting on Mr. Willis's despatchi, Sir J. Jordan expresses the opinion that it might be better to endeavour to obtain safeguards on these points rather thau risk. the possibility of Russia coming to an understanding with Japan on the basis of her original interpretation of clause 6 of the agreement of 1896.
I am inclined to concur in the above view, and I think it of the utmost importance that His Majesty's Government should not take any step at the present juncture calenlated to provoke common action between these two countries to secure such an interpretation of the clause. This contingency could not fail to exercise a detrimental result on British interests both in North and South Manchuria, and would tend to complicate still further the situation produced by the recent American action in regard to the neutralisation of the Manchurian railways.
As your Excellency is aware, His Majesty's Government have never raised insuperable objections to the proposals made by Russia in regard to the question of railway settlements. They have claimed nothing more than that the rules for the government of international municipalities in China must receive the approval of the Treaty Powers before they can be made applicable to foreign subjects, and they accordingly suggested that these regulations should be drawn up in consultation with the diplomatic or consular authorities of the Power concerned.
In the circular despatch enclosed in Sir J. Jordan's despatch No. 461 of the 10th ultimo, which the Wai-wu Pu has addressed to the foreign representatives protesting against a notification alleged to have been issued by the Russian Foreign Office on the subject of the railway settlements, your Excellency will observe that the Chinese Government dispute the contention of the Russian Government that the Chinese, instead of administering Harbin themselves, have transferred their rights of administration to the Russian Railway Company so that the latter acts as agent of the Chinese Government in supervising the administration of Harbin and other places. This answer leaves no sort of doubt as to the wishes and views of China in the matter, and expressly states that she is desirous of preserving the sovereign rights to which she is entitled in Manchuria as elsewhere throughout the Chinese Empire, and at the same time to safeguard the proper interests of the various nations which trade with her.
I should be glad if your Excellency will take the first opportunity that presents itself of bringing to the notice of M. Isvolsky the above views, and while pointing out again the real nature of the reservations made by His Majesty's Government, make it perfectly clear to his Excellency that they are genuinely auxious to see the present question settled to the satisfaction of Russia and Great Britain alike.
Your Excellency should bear in mind the arguments used by Sir J. Jordan in a private letter to the Russian Minister at Peking, dated the 13th December (see Sir J. Jordan's despatch No. 472 of the 18th ultimo), in connection with the conditions on which the Chinese Eastern Railway Company were prepared to accede to the
* Sir J. Jordan, No. 461, December 10; ditto, No. 472, December 18, 1909. [2605 bb-2]
.ގ
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.