CO129-382 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 437

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

AFFAIRS OF CHINA..

CONFIDENTIAL.

[4276]

No. 1.

813435

[February 614 MAR |

SBCTION 2.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received February 6.)

(No. 27.) Sir,

Peking, January 17, 1911. WITH reference to my despatch No. 473 of the 29th December relative to the northern section of the Burmah-Yünnan frontier, I have the honour to transmit herewith the translation of a note which I have received from the Chinese Govern- ment, explaining that they have never accepted the line notified to them in Sir Ernest Satow's note of the 1st May, 1906, and that they cannot assent to a one-sided decision of the matter by His Majesty's Government. They state that if the Burmah troops proceed to the Nmai Kha watershed they will be crossing the frontier, and the Chinese Government can under no circumstances accept any responsibility for a collision. The Chinese text of the following sentence is somewhat ambiguous, but there can be little doubt that the line which they request may be provisionally observed is the course of the Hsiao Chiang where it flows northwards, in other words, the Nmai Kha- Hsiao Chiang watershed, which a glance at the map will show lies a long way to the west of Pien-ma and the Irrawaddy-Salween divide.

The note adds that, if it be desired to come to a general agreement as to the basis to be taken for the frontier line before proceeding to the appointment of officers for the purpose of delimitation, there can be no objection to that course, and that the Chinese Minister in London has been instructed to assist in negotiating an equitable settlement.

I had the honour of telegraphing the above to you in substance on the 15th instant in my telegram No. 11.

I have, &c.

Enclosure in No. 1.

J. N. JORDAN,

Prince Ching to Sir J. Jordan.

(Translation.) Sir,

Peking, January 14, 1911. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's note of the 17th December last on the subject of the Burmah-Yunnan frontier, in which it was stated that so long as the Chinese Government refuse to discuss any settlement of the frontier on the basis of the boundary as notified in Sir E. Satow's note of the 1st May, 1906, His Majesty's Government would not be able to consider any question of joint delimitation.

The Chinese Government have never expressed their agreement with the basis referred to, as the correspondence shows, and if it is proposed to come to a one-sided decision in the matter China cannot but refuse to consent to such a course, which seemed an improper one for His Majesty's Government to take.

Your Excellency's note above referred to further states that there is no intention to dispatch troops to cross the declared frontier on the watershed.

The watershed frontier declared in Sir Ernest Satow's note of 1906 includes too wide an area, and the country it embraces is all under the rule of Chinese native chieftains. If the Burmah troops proceed to the Ngmaika River watershed they will be crossing the frontier, and should a collision occur in consequence the Chinese Government can under no circumstances accept responsibility.

Until the frontier question has been definitely decided, we must request His Majesty's Government to give strict orders to the frontier officials to still adhere to the northern course of the Hsiao Chiang as the frontier at present observed, and on no account to cross it in order to avoid any untoward occurrence and preserve the good relations between our two countries.

[1909 ƒ-2]