CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 334

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

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AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[31143]

No. 1.

RECE

Rigust 28.1

NOV 10

SECTION 1.

Sir,

India Office to Foreign Office.(Received August 26.)

India Office, August 26, 1910. WITH reference to the correspondence ending with your letter of the 25th July regarding the proposed expedition to Pien-ma, I am directed by the Secretary of State for India to forward, for the information of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, copy of a telegram that has been received from the Government of India dealing with the arrangements to be made.

Subject to Sir E. Grey's concurrence, it is proposed to send the telegram,* draft of which is enclosed, in reply.

I am, &c.

R. RITCHIE.

Enclosure in No. 1,

Government of India to Foreign Office.

(Telegraphic.) P.

August 8, 1910. BURMA-CHINA frontier (see your telegram dated the 29th July). Burma Government have been authorised to put in hand at once the preliminary arrangements for the expedition, preparations being as far as possible kept confidential. With regard to details, we propose, subject to your concurrence, to approve proposals contained in letter of the 10th May from Burma Government as regards composition and strength of escort, grant of concessions to members of the escort, instructions to the officer in charge, and arrangements involved by deputation of Mr. Hertz, in which we coneur, question of establishing police post in the tract, as to which we have not yet received detailed proposals, being reserved for future consideration. As time is short and it is necessary that the men should be trained with the new arm before the expedition starts, we are issuing orders at once, in anticipation of your approval, for the re-armament of the 450 men of Mr. Hertz's escort with magazine rifles. We cannot agree to proposal made in Burma Government's letter of the 18th June, of which copy was forwarded with letter of the 14th ultimo from Secretary to Government of India, Foreign Department, that whole of Myitkina battalion should be re-armed. Expedition will be accompanied by an intelligence officer and a small survey staff.

* Draft of telegram to Government of India.

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