CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 103

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

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16664

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[15999]

No. 1.

[May 9] M

SECTION 2 JUN 10,

Mr. Max Müller to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received May 9.)

(No. 114.) Sir,

Peking, April 21, 1910. IN continuation of my despatch No. 101 of the 7th instant, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a note which the Portuguese chargé d'affaires has addressed to the Wai-wu Pu respecting the placing of the buoy near Green Island by the authorities of Macao.

You will observe that M. de Brederode reasserts that the inner harbour of Macao is within Portuguese jurisdiction, and refuses to instruct the Portuguese consul at Canton to examine the question with the Chinese authorities, as requested in the Wai-wn Pu's note of the 28th March, copy of which was enclosed in my despatch above mentioned.

I have, &c.

W. G. MAX MÜLLER,

Enclosure in No. 1.

Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires to Wai-wu Pu.

Your Imperial Highness,

Peking, April 18, 1910. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Highness's note, dated the 28th March, regarding the buoy near the Green Island.

As already stated in my previous notes, the inner harbour of Macao is, since over three centuries, under our jurisdiction. The status quo determined by the treaty concluded between our two countries in 1887 refers to what, at the time of the signature of the said treaty, was under the jurisdiction of China or of Portugal, both countries having liberty of action within these provisional boundaries, as it has always happened. Portugal, therefore, never needed China's permission to place or to change any buoy in the inner harbour.

Subsequent to the treaty, in 1890, on account of the violation of the status quo in the inner harbour by the Chinese authorities, a provisional arrangement was made, it being stated in the despatch addressed by the Viceroy Ly to Consul Cinatti on the 22nd July of the same year. To observe this arrangement it is not necessary to make investigations, and therefore I have no instructions to give to the consul in Canton.

I avail, &c.

(2751)

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