CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 543

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

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[44543]

No. 1.

[December 9.]

SACTION 3.

(No. 478.) Sir,

Mr. O'Beirne to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received December 9.)

St. Petersburgh, December 6, 1910, I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a note which I addressed to the Russian Government on the receipt of your despatch No. 291, Confidential, of the 28th October on the subject of the Russian railway settlements in Manchuria and of the reply which I have received from the Imperial Minister for Foreign Affairs.

While accepting the proposal of His Majesty's Government that negotiations should be opened between the British and Russian representatives at Peking with a view to settling the basis upon which British subjects are to contribute to the expenses of municipal government of the settlements within the Chinese Eastern Railway zone, the Russian Government maintain their point of view that the land comprising this zone having been obtained with the funds of the railway company, the latter have the right to manage their own property without giving account of their actions to foreign Governments, subject only to the observation of the principles of "most- favoured-nation treatment" and the "open door.”

I have, &c.

HUGH O'BEIRNE.

Enclosure 1 in No. 1.

Your Excellency,

Mr. O'Beirne to M. Sazonow.

St. Petersburgh, October 25 (November 7), 1910. I HAVE the honour to refer your Excellency to a pro-memorid handed to M. Isvolsky on the 21st February last by Sir A. Nicolson embodying the views of His Britannic Majesty's Government in regard to the position of foreigners at Harbin.

In furtherance of the sincere desire of His Majesty's Government to which reference is made in that document to see the question settled to the mutual satis- faction of Russia and Great Britain, His Majesty's Government have now authorised the British chargé d'affaires at Peking to enter into negotiations with his Russian colleague for the conclusion of an agreement to settle the basis upon which British subjects are to contribute to the municipal government of the Russian railway settlements.

I am instructed to enquire whether the Imperial Government would be disposed on their side to entrust the conduct of the negotiations to their diplomatic represen- tative at Peking.

I avail, &c.

HUGH O'BEIRNE.

M. le Chargé d'Affaires,

Enclosure 2 in No. 1.

M. Sazonow to Mr. O'Beirne.

St. Petersburgh, November 19 (December 2), 1910.

I HAD the honour to receive your note, dated the 25th October (7th November), in which you enquired as to the willingness of the Imperial Government to instruct their representative at Peking to enter into negotiations with the British chargé d'affaires with a view to settling the basis upon which British subjects are to contribute to the expenses of municipal government of the settlements within the Chinese Eastern Railway zone.

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