CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 434

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the Governor-General, under date the 8th instant, that a telegram had been received from the Wai-wu Pu stating that the Chilli commissioner of foreign affairs, Wang K'o-min, had already arrived at his post, and that he should transact all international business except that connected with customs matters, which would continue to be dealt with by the Customs Taotai.

On the 10th instant I received a despatch from Commissioner Wang, stating that he received his seal of office on the 30th September, having been appointed by Imperial command to act provisionally as commissioner of foreign affairs for Chihli province.

The Customs Taotai has been hitherto the official of the Chinese provincial Government with whom the consuls have had to deal in general in all matters of international concern. The right of direct communication with the Governor-General has, however, always been maintained. The appointment of a commissioner of foreign affairs is therefore a new departure.

The question was alluded to at a recent meeting of the consular body, and my French colleague showed some disposition to object to recognise the commissioner as an intermediary between the consuls and the provincial Government. For my own part I fail to see sufficient grounds for such an objection. The treaties do not prescribe any particular Chinese official as the Chinese authority with whom the Consuls should transact business. The Customs Taotai has in most treaty ports been accepted as that authority, but there is no such official, and in Mukden the com- missioner of foreign affairs was appointed some years ago.

But in view of the Agreement of 1880 as to Personal Relations and Official Correspondence between Provincial Authorities and Consular Officers (Hertslet's "China Treaties," pp. 80-83), you may consider that the institution of a special Chinese official to represent the provincial Government in international affairs should have been communicated to the diplomatic body by the Wai-wu Pu for their approval.

The commissioner of foreign affairs is given the rank of provincial treasurer. The present holder of the office has been one of the secretaries in the Governor- General's Yamên.

1 have, &c.

H. E. FULFORD.

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

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[40130]

C O

36747

[November 4.]

SECTION 2.

Ros

Root | GFC 10

No. 1.

India Office to Foreign Office.~(Received November 4.)

THE Under-Secretary of State for India presents his compliments to the Under- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and, by direction of Viscount Morley, forwards herewith, for the information of the Secretary of State, copy of a telegram to the Viceroy, dated the 1st November, relative to the Burmah-Chinese frontier.

India Office, November 3, 1910.

Enclosure in No. 1.

Viscount Morley to Government of India.

(Telegraphic.) P.

India Office, November 1, 1910. BURMAH-CHINA frontier. See your telegram dated the 28th October. You are, it is understood, satisfied that success of expedition against all probable risks is adequately ensured by force proposed by you in your telegram dated the 16th ultimo. This view is confirmed by the information contained in telegram dated the 22nd ultimo from His Majesty's chargé d'affaires at Peking, which was repeated to Government of India, and your proposals are therefore approved. Your definite recommendation, with estimate of cost as to police posts, will, I assume, shortly reach me.

[2982 d-2]

Enclosure 2 in No. 1.

(No. 20.) Sir,

Mr. Mar Müller to Consul-General Fulford.

Peking, October 14, 1910.

I HAVE received your despatch No. 49 of the 11th instant relative to the institution of the office of a commissioner of foreign affairs for the province of Chibli

I understand that Commissioners of Foreign Affairs were appointed in 1907 to the provinces of Fengtien aud Kirin, later a similar appointment was made for the province of Chekiang, and now upon the recommendation of the Wai-wu Pu com- missioners of foreign affairs have been appointed for the provinces of Chihli, Hupei, Kuangtung, Kiangsu, and Fukien. The commissioners, who rank immediately after the provincial treasurer, will have charge of all foreign affairs, and will be under the direct control of the Wai-wu Pu. It will be easier to see later what effect this administrative change has on the conduct of affairs, but in present circumstances I agree with your view that there are not sufficient grounds to warrant a refusal to accept the commissioner as an intermediary between His Majesty's consul-general and the provincial Government, provided that the right of direct correspondence with the Governor-General is maintained in regard to all matters which you consider of sufficient importance to justify it. I do not therefore propose to raise the question with my colleagues or the Wai-wu Pu, but if it should be broached, as I understand it is likely to be by the French Minister, I shall adopt the line indicated above, unless otherwise instructed by His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

I am, &c.

W. G. MAX MÜLLER,

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