[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
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negotiations between the British, French, and German banks and the representative of the American group, with the co-operation and approval of the Imperial Chinese Government, resulted in a supplemental agreement providing for American participa- tion on a basis which satisfied all parties.
3. At this point the lamented death of his Excellency the Grand Secretary Chang deprived the Imperial Chinese Government of his services, and his Excellency Hsu, President of the Yu-chuan Pu, was, by Imperial ediet, appointed to take over the matter of the loan and bring it to a satisfactory conclusion. The banks, although not officially informed of this appointment, were given to understand by his Excellency Hsu that the conclusion of the loan agreement would be proceeded with so soon as he had fully examined the papers left by the late Grand Secretary Chang. From that time up to the present the British, French, and German banks and the representative of the American group have received no communication on the subject from his Excellency Hsu, and no meeting has been called by him.
4. In the meanwhile, certain announcements in the official Gazette caused the impression that the Imperial Chinese Government had overlooked the engagements entered into in the negotiations above named, and notes were on two occasions addressed to the Imperial Chinese Government by the Governments of the countries concerned, requesting explanations. Although several mouths have elapsed no reply has been received to these notes, and the anxiety of the British, French, and German banks and the American group to secure the due fulfilment of their rights under the above-named agreements now moves them to ask their respective Governments to call upon the Imperial Chinese Government to arrange for an early completion of the loan and supplemental agreements.
Peking, June 24, 1910.
[B]
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[24331]
No. 1.
Foreign Office to China Association.
сс
23223
RECR Rea28 10 [July 16.]
SECTION 1.
Sir,
SIR E. GREY has given his careful consideration to the views contained in your
Foreign Office, July 16, 1910. letter of the 5th instant respecting the question of railway extension in Manchuria, more especially in regard to the Chinchow-Aigun Railway project. In reply I am to inform you that, in suggesting that His Majesty's Government should use their good offices with the Japanese as well as with the Russian Government, with a view to removing the obstacles to the construction of this line, you appear to be under a misapprehension as to the facts of the case.
Japan has expressed her readiness not to oppose the scheme, provided that she is admitted to participation in it as some compensation for the injury the new line might inflict on her railway in Southern Manchuria. In the case of Russia, the position is briefly as follows: There is nothing in the 1899 agreement which affects the right of China to construct what railways she pleases for herself, but there is an understanding on behalf of this country not to seek for British subjects or others any railway con- cession north of the Great Wall. It has been argued that the proposed line in question is not a railway concession in the exact sense of this agreement, but His Majesty's Government are bound to pay some regard to the spirit of the agreement, which has never been formally abrogated, and in view of it it is impossible for them not to take into consideration the objections of Russia on economic, strategical, and political grounds to a railway which would actually cross her existing line to Vladivostock, and which would terminate at her frontier,
Sir E. Grey has from the first maintained that the matter is primarily one for arrangement by China with Russia and Japan, and he does not consider that any useful purpose would be served by the active intervention of this country at this juncture. I may, however, remind you that the attitude of His Majesty's Government has been repeatedly defined in the House of Commons in the course of last six months.
As regards the statement in the "Times" quoted in your letter respecting the impression created that British interests in China are being sacrificed to the suscepti- bilities of Russia and Japan, I am to observe that when His Majesty's Minister at Peking was instructed in February last to warn China of the danger of ignoring the interests of her two neighbouring States, and of arriving at a final arrangement without consulting them, this advice was tendered solely in the best interests of China herself, and in order to prevent her from plunging into embarrassing complications.
Apart from this, the China Association may rest assured that the influence of His Majesty's Government will continue, as heretofore, to be exercised in favour of furthering the development of railway enterprise in Manchuria, and of supporting the claims of British industry whenever possible.
I am,
&c.
F. A. CAMPBELL.
교
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