CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 408

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.] 406

CHINA RAILWAYS.

CONFIDENTIAL.

(7149)

No. 1.

7293

[February 23.1

SECTION 1.

(No. 42.) Sir,

Sir Edward Grey to Sir C. MacDonald,"

Foreign Office, February 23, 1910.

I TOLD the Japanese Ambassador to-day what had passed with regard to the Chinchow-Aigun Railway since I last saw him.

I reminded the Ambassador of the communication we had made to the Chinese Government, about which I had told him at our last interview. When the United States Government had heard of this communication, they had instructed their Ambassador here to ask me why we had addressed the warning to China, and what was our attitude towards the railway. I had then explained to the United States Ambassador the bearing on the question of the 1899 Agreement with Russia; I had told him what had passed between Russia and ourselves; and I had stated definitely that we could not give active support to the railway project until the difficulty with regard to the Japanese and Russian interests had been adjusted. The United States Ambassador had observed that China had a right to make railways in her own territory without consulting any other country, and I had replied that we did not question this right; but as it was certain that China would meet with opposition from Japan and Russia if she determined to push on with the railway without considering the interests of those countries we had thought it well to point this out to China, and to tell her that, if she ignored the interests of Japan and Russia, then-in view of all the circum- stances of the case-we could not support her against the opposition of those countries.

The Japanese Ambassador told me that his Government had informed the Russian Government of the communication they intended to make at Peking, stating the conditions on which they would be prepared to agree to the construction of the Chinchow-Aigun line. The Russian Government had not raised any objection, but had asked that the Japanese Government should support the Russian views when the latter were formulated. The Japanese Government had replied that, when the time came, they would be glad to give all the legitimate support in their power,

The Japanese Ambassador also told me that the Chinese Minister at Peking to whom the Japanese communication had been made had seemed, to the Japanese Minister at Peking, more sincere than usual when he expressed his thanks for the communication, and said that he would take it into consideration. The impression given to the Japanese Minister was that either the Chinese Minister was relieved to find that the Japanese Government were not irreconcilable, or he was pleased to find that the Japanese conditions were not as onerous as he had expected them to be.

I am, &c.

E. GREY.

* Also to Sir A. Nicolson (No. 62) and Mr. Bryce (No. 83).

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