CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 558

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government._555

$324

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[10360]

(No. 50.)

(Telegraphic.) P.

No. 1.

Sir Edward Grey to Mr. Max Müller,

CUSTOMS succession.

[March 30.C. O.

SECTION 12550

REC

(REG: 28 IPK 10

Foreign Office, March 30, 1910.

I approve the language you used to Liang Tun-yen, as reported in your telegram No. 56 of the 28th instant.

His Majesty's Government cannot but regard Sir R. Bredon's appointment to the Board of Revenue as a violation of the Chinese Government's promise of February 1908. An Imperial decree entrusted this board with the supervision of the maritime customs, and it is obvious, therefore, that the Chinese Government, had they really wished to carry out spirit of their undertaking and not merely the letter, would have realised that this board was the one board to which Sir R. Bredon should not have been appointed.

The unfriendly attitude of the Chinese Government in refusing to submit outstanding questions to arbitration is only emphasised by their action in this matter.

(11078)

(No. 51.)

No. 2.

Sir Edward Grey to Mr. Mur Müller.

(Telegraphic.) P.

RELATIONS with China.

Foreign Office, March 30, 1910.

I have received a reply from the Chinese Minister with regard to the Chinese Mining and Engineering Company and the questions of Macao and Anhui, He asks what our communication about postponing the visit of Prince Tsai-tao and the army commission really means. It has been pointed out to him that the request of His Majesty's Government for arbitration in questions which bad come to a diplomatic deadlock is as friendly as could well be made; Chinese cannot claim to be prejudiced in case of Chinese Mining and Engineering Company. Since arbitration was offered them on the whole case their refusal in this case is, and in that of Macao was, I told him, quite incomprehensible to me.

I told him that the appointment of Sir R. Bredon to the revenue council was an evasion of the undertaking entered into in February 1908, and not a fulfilment of it, and have urged that the Chinese should give him some post where he will have no authority over the customs.

Lord Li replied that he felt sure that his Government could not have wished to get out of their promise. Personally, he said, he had heard nothing about it. He argued that the Prince's visit was too near to allow of a postponement. I said that before his Highness's arrival there would be plenty of time to accept arbitration on the questions referred to and to settle the question as to the Bredon appointment.

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