CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 533

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

CO 39116

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AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

RegE23 FC 10

[October 22.]

CONFIDENTIAL.

SECTION 1,

[38550]

No. 1.

(No. 171.)

Mr. Max Müller to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received October 22.)

(Telegraphic.) P.

BURMAH frontier. Expedition to Pienma.

Peking, October 22, 1910.

I have received the following telegram from His Majesty's consul at Tengyuch in reply to the enquiries which I addressed to him through His Majesty's consul-general at Yünnan-fu on receipt of your telegram No. 134 of the 18th October :---

"I adhere to the views expressed in my memorandum of the 24th May. Though the expedition is, according to my information, anticipated by the Chinese authorities, there are now hardly any troops left in Tengyueh, as 200 have been sent eastwards to reinforce Talifu, on account of the rebellion at Chungtien, and many others are scattered over the district for local purposes. Modern troops were to have been stationed during this year at Tengyueh, but, owing, I believe, to lack of sufficient funds, no accommodation has been provided nor preparations made for them."

The above was received through His Majesty's consul-general at Yunnan-fu, who added no further information.

Military attaché is not aware that the Chinese Government have any intention of moving modern troops to the frontier from Talifu. It would on the contrary appear that, in order to cope with the mutiny reported in my telegram No. 169 of the 14th instant, troops are being moved to the north away from Yungchang, Talifu, and Tengyueh.

Colonel Willoughby estimates that Chinese troops could probably march from Talifu to Kulikha, on the Bhamo-Tengyueh route, in fifteen or sixteen days.

With regard to Mr. Rose's route No. 7, I understand that Chinese troops could reach Teng-Keng from Talifu by three different routes in between nine and twelve days according to the route taken. It is also possible that there exist tracks across the frontier south of the Teng-Kong-Pienma route, but they would make the distance to be traversed from Talifu greater. A memorandum on the subject has been forwarded to India and the War Office by the military attaché.

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