CO129-382 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 449

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

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[6134]

No. 1.

447

8193

[February 201

SECTION 2.

(No. 14.) Sir,

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received February 20.)

Peking, January 31, 1911. IN obedience to the instructions contained in your telegram No. 16 of the 28th instant, I have addressed the note to the Chinese Government, of which I have the honour to enclose copy, in reply to their notes of the 14th and 24th January on the subject of the Burmah-Yunnan frontier.

I also enclose the translation of a further note which I received two days ago from Prince Ching. It will be seen that the Chinese Government have been informed by the Viceroy of Yunnan of the arrival of a British force of 2,000 at Pien-ma, and they repeat their request that the troops may be withdrawn.

I summarised the contents of this communication in my telegram No. 25 to you of yesterday.

Enclosure 1 in No. 1.

I have, &c.

J. N. JORDAN.

Your Highness,

Sir J. Jordan to Prince Ch'ing.

Peking, January 30, 1911. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Highness's notes of the 14th and 24th instant on the subject of the Burmah-Yunnan frontier, the contents of which were, as requested, at once communicated to His Majesty's Government by telegraph, and I am now directed by His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to reply to your Highness in the sense following.

The country lying between the Ngmaikha watershed and the Ngawchuang was jointly examined by Mr. Consul Litton and Taotai Shih Hung-shao in 1905: this examination revealed nothing to modify the views which had previously been communicated by His Majesty's Government to the Chinese Government, and which were accordingly reaffirmed in Sir Ernest Satow's note of the 1st May, 1906.

The Chinese Government having in the four years which have since elapsed found nothing more effective to propose than a further examination of country already examined, His Majesty's Government have now acted on the intimation made in Sir E. Satow's note above referred to; they have dispatched an expedition to Pien-ma, and the country up to the watershed is now being peaceably administered by British officials.

It is now for the Chinese Government to show cause why this should not be done, and His Majesty's Government are prepared to examine with them at Peking any evidence which the Chinese Government may wish to produce in substantiation of their claim to dues from particular villages between the watershed and the Ngawchuang line.

I have the honour to communicate the above reply of His Majesty's Government to your Highness accordingly.

Sir,

Enclosure 2 in No. 1.

Prince Ching to Sir J. Jordan.

I avail, &c.,

J. N. JORDAN,

January 29, 1911.

I HAVE already had the honour to address two notes to your Excellency on the 14th and 24th instant on the subject of the Burmah-Yünnan frontier, to which no reply has yet been received.

[1909 u-2]