CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 392

[B]

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

6486

CHINA RAILWAYS,

CONFIDENTIAL.

390

REOF 4 MAR 10, [February 10.]

SECTION 3.

[4831]

No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received February 10.)

(No. 29. Confidential.) Sir,

Peking, January 24, 1910.

IN my telegram No. 9 of the 14th instant I informed you that the American chargé d'affaires was continuing to press the Chinese Government to obtain an Imperial decree confirming the preliminary agreement of the 2nd October, 1909, for the construction of a railway from Chinchow to Aigun. In view of the instructions contained in your telegram No. 6 of the 11th instant, I refused to join Mr. Fletcher in any further action.

On the 21st instant Mr. Fletcher received a note from the Wai-wu Pu, of which I had the honour to inform you in my telegram No. 13 of the 22nd instant, and of which I now beg to enclose a translation, informing him of the issue of the Imperial decree. The note does not contain any specific reference to the preliminary agreement of the 2nd October, but Mr. Fletcher informs me that he has been assured by the Wai-wu Pu that the decree is to be taken as ratifying the terms of that agreement, and that any further negotiations for a final agreement will be based

upon it.

I have, &c.

(For Sir John Jordan),

W. G. MAX MÜLLER.

Enclosure in No. 1.

Prince Ch'ing to Mr. Fletcher,

(Translation.) Your Excellency,

January 21, 1910, IT is on record that the Viceroy of Manchuria and others have memorialised, asking permissiou to make a foreign loan to build by instalments a railway from Chinchow to Aigun. The Board of Foreign Affairs consulted with the Boards of Finance and Communications, and it was agreed to sanction the proposal. A memorial stating specifically that this sort of agreement should be drawn up in careful detail was sent into the Throne on the 10th day of the 12th Moon of the 1st year of Hsuan-t'ung (the 20th January, 1910), and the vermilion rescript "Let it be as decided was reverently received. Besides instructing the Viceroy concerned to act accordingly, this despatch is now sent for the information of your Excellency. A necessary despatch.

(Seal of the Wai-wu Pu.)

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