CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 409

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.] 408

35951

Prop

CHINA RAILWAYS.

REGE 24 NOV 10

CONFIDENTIAL.

[November 1.]

SECTION 1.

[39779]

No. 1.

Sir,

Colonial Office to Foreign Office.-(Received November 1.)

Downing Street, October 31, 1910. I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, with reference to letter to the Colonial Office of the 17th October, copy of despatch to the Acting Governor of Hongkong on the subject of the proposed customs agreement with China.

I am, &c.

FRANCIS J. S. HOPWOOD.

Enclosure in No. 1.

(Confidential.)

Sir,

器

The Earl of Crewe to the Acting Governor of Hongkong.

Downing Street, October 27, 1910. WITH reference to my Confidential despatch of the 19th October and previous correspondence, I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a letter from the Foreign Office, from which you will seo that Sir E. Grey concurs in the course proposed in paragraph 2 of your Confidential despatch of the 26th August as to the conduct of the negotiations in connection with the proposed customs agreement with China.

2. You will no doubt take steps to ensure, in accordance with Sir E. Grey's wish, that the legation at Peking is kept fully informed of the progress of the negotiations when the time comes for them to be taken up again.

3. I understand that the reason which led Sir J. Jordan and Sir F. Lugard to recommend that the question of the customs agreement should not be brought at present into the negotiations concerning the joint management of the railway was On the other that the Imperial maritime customs have little influence in Peking.

hand, they considered that if it were possible to get the Viceroy's approval of the draft customs agreement, that approval might be useful in regard to the railway negotiations.

4. I also understand that, in Sir J. Jordan's opinion, the desire of the Chinese to have commercial telegraph lines running alongside the railway to Kowloon may be made use of in connection with the latter negotiations. This matter was referred to in your Confidential despatch of the 25th August and earlier despatches..

I am, &c.

CREWE.

* Foreign Office, October 17, 1910.

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