CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 537

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Goverulei

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soldiery on the walls, seeing this large body of men approaching, paid no heed to Huang's statements that they had come in peace, lost their heads and opened fire. Huang was seriously wounded, and the soldiers, considering themselves betrayed, broke away again. Admira! Li then attacked them in earnest, and, having little ammunition and useless rifles, they dispersed and fled.

The list of casualties, at first said to be anything from 400 to 500 men, has now dwindled to 100 or less, and surrenders are reported daily. The local guilds and charitable organisations have interested themselves in the matter, and, thanks to their efforts, more sinense, a compromise has been arrived at, in terms of which both parties -the high provincial authorities and the soldiers-acknowledge that the unfortunate affairs was due to mutual misunderstanding, and each man surrendering is given a present of 3 dollars to return to his home and a pass securing him from all further molestation on arrival there.

The incident may therefore be considered practically closed, and has, in my opinion, no political significance. The rumour, current when I submitted my first report, and quoted by me, to the effect that the agents of the Ko Ming Tang were stirring up the soldiery, is, as far as I can ascertain, without foundation.

I have, &c.

J. W. JAMIESON.

[B]

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

(

[11695]

No. 1.

Sir Edward Grey to Mr. Max Muller.

Rec

¡Rece 21 4PK 10

[April 5.]

SECTION 1.

(No. 113.) Sir,

Foreign Office, April 5, 1910. · THE Chinese Minister communicated to me to-day a translation of a telegram from the Wai-wu Pu, of which a copy is enclosed.

I said that I would take it into consideration, and reply to it on Thursday the 7th. I wished to observe at once, however, that I too would regret being unable to receive Prince Tsai-tao, because if that happened it would mean that the cordial and friendly relations which I had desired to preserve with the Chinese Government no longer existed.

I also told him that the appointment of Sir Robert Bredon was not regarded at Peking in the way in which it was described in this communication; I had even been told that, unless it was altered, it would be looked upon there as an insult to us. Though, therefore, I deferred my reply to the whole communication until Thursday, I wished him to understand the great importance which I attached to the question of Sir Robert Brodon's appointment.

Enclosure in No. 1.

Wai-wu Pu to Li Ching-fong.

I am, &c.

E. GREY.

(Translation.) (Telegraphic.)

YOUR telegram of the 30th ultimo received.

April 3, 1910.

1. As regards the case of the Chinese Engineering and Mining Company, an Imperial edict was issued last December ordering the Viceroy of Chihli to open negotiations with a view to settling it. No other measures for dealing with the matter should be proposed until these negotiations have brought to light what should be the real clue to the settlement of the case. It would be therefore premature to refer this case to arbitration at the present moment.

2. As regards the case of our boundary dispute with Portugal over Macao, the negotiations will be resumed as soon as the leave of absence granted to Minister Liu expires. China and Portugal have been conducting negotiations in a friendly manner in regard to this question, and such negotiations have never been broken off. If the British Government has no wish to intervene in the matter we would submit that the present moment is too early for England to come forward on the ground of her treaty relations with Portugal.

3. As regards the sum of money paid for the settlement of the Anhui Mining Concession case, a telegraphic remittance of the amount was made from Shanghae on the 2nd instant to London through the Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China, to be paid over.

4. As to the appointment of Sir Robert Bredon, we, in deference to the wishes of the British Government, bave not retained him longer in the capacity of Acting Inspector-General of the Imperial Chinese Customs, and this action, we hope, will also be considered as a further proof of our friendliness towards Great Britain. But considering that Sir Robert Bredon has been in the service of the Chinese Government for several decades, and being now disengaged he has been attached to the Shui-wn Chu (Board of Customs), so as to be ready to give advice, if required; but he has not been given any administrative post. What his position is is quite clear and definite, and it is a misunderstanding to suppose that he has been appointed to control the Customs administration.

China attaches great importance to the maintenance of friendly relations with

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