CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 277

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

275

CO

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[11857]

No. 1.

20141

REC

Rec 1 JUL 10)

[April 7.]

SECTION 2.

Mr. Max Müller to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received April 7.)

In

(No. 67.) (Telegraphic.) P.

Peking, April 7, 1910. YOUR telegram No. 56 of the 5th instant: Customs succession. My telegrams No. 56 of the 25th March and No. 65 of the 4th April contained my views on the explanations of the Chinese Government with regard to the appointment of Sir Robert Bredon and on the necessity of preventing its being confirmed. order that the Chinese Government should not merely move him to some post whence he could exercise his influence in an equally objectionable manner, e.g., to succeed Sir W. Hillier at the Wai-wu Pu, which post the latter has already intimated the desire to relinquish, I would suggest that Liang-tum-yen's assurance to me that any appointment given to Bredon must be in the accepted sense of the word purely honorary should be insisted upon. Otherwise I entirely concur with your proposed reply to the Chinese Minister.

I suggested to Na-tung that the Chinese Minister to Paris should resume negotiations in Lisbon at once, keeping His Majesty's Government informed of their progress, and that recourse be had to arbitration in the event of their failure. He said that this last condition was one which it could not be expected that any Government would accept, as it implied that they were entering on negotiations without. any hope of a successful issue, but the Minister would go to Lisbon to reopen negotiations on the expiration of his four months' leave. If coupled with an assurance that the fishery bureau at Wanchau will be removed and that China will refrain in the meantime from any act which could be interpreted as a violation of the status quo, I am in favour of accepting the Chinese proposal if it is made to you formally. I would, on the other hand, submit that in view of removing the just reproach that- Southern China is exposed to moral contamination from Macao, His Majesty's Government might promise to use their good offices with the Portuguese Government; Portugal might promise, if the buoy be proved to lie beyond the provisional line, to remove it, and might also promise to withdraw demand that the boats seized at Dom. João should be restored.

In my despatch No. 83 of the 18th ultimo, I reported that Mr. McNeill was about to visit London in connection with the Chinese Engineering and Mining Company's case. He is the bearer of a letter from me to Mr. Alston. I should, therefore, on the understanding that the question is to be submitted to arbitration ir he should fail to effect a settlement with the board of directors in London, be inclined. to waive the request for immediate arbitration; and from your telegram No. 51 of the 3rd March, I understand that besides the previously suggested four points the question of the validity of Chang Yen Mao's sale will now be included in the arbitration.

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