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[This Documrent is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
13346 [March 20.]
SECTION 220 RT:
100
[10110]
(No. 81.) Sir,
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received March 20.)
Peking, February 23, 1911. I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith copies of a report which has been drawn up by the military attaché to His Majesty's Legation, discussing, from a military point of view, the situation which has arisen on the Burmah-Yünnan frontier in consequence of the British expedition to Pien-ma.
It seems likely that the frontier question will eventually end in a settlement without a conflict taking place between the armed forces on the two sides, but should this hope be disappointed, it may be useful to the Burmah Government to be in possession of Lieutenant-Colouel Willoughby's views as to the military strength which the Chinese Government might be able to put in the field.
I have, &c.
Enclosure in No. 1.
J. N. JORDAN.
(Confidential.)
Report by Lieutenant-Colonel Willoughby.
Peking, February 13, 1911. THE news received yesterday from India of the reoccupation of Pieu-ma by a Chinese force, though unwelcome, cannot be considered as a surprise, in view of recent intelligence from Tengyueh concerning the movement of Chinese troops and in view also of the unyielding attitude of the Chinese Government, from the beginning, with regard to the question of the ownership of the territory in dispute. According to their view the boundary lies to the west of Pien-ma.
The decision of His Majesty's Government (after the joint investigation of the frontier by the late Mr. Litton, His Majesty's consul at Tengyuch, and Taotai Shih Hung-chao in 1905), to consider the Nmai-kha-Shweli and Nmai-kha-Salween watersheds as the boundary line, was communicated to the Chinese Government by Sir E. Satow in May 1906. No steps, however, to carry that decision into effect appear to have been necessitated until the Tengkeng "fu-yi" (chief) raided Pien-ma in October 1909, to enforce his tribute claims which the Lashi tribesmen of the Pien-ma district had latterly been neglecting. This action brought the matter to a head and made it imperative for the Government of Burnab to take steps to give effect to the British claim to the region (failure to do which would have implied acquiescence in the validity of the Chinese ownership). It was hoped that the administrative expedition under Mr. Hertz would meet with no oppositiou, and that the Chinese would accept the accomplished fact.
In October 1910, when my opinion as to the likelihood of modern Chinese troops being moved to the frontier was asked, I could only reply that I was unaware of any intention on the part of China, at that time, to make such movements; and that, in fact, troops were on the other hand being moved away northwards from West Yünuan in connection with the mutiny of Szechuanese troops at Hsiang Cheng, and the occupation by them of Chung Tien. At the same time I pointed out the strength and distribution of the regular troops in the province of Yunnan, and the distances from Yunnan-fu and Tali-fu to the frontier.
The careful and detailed report by Captain B. E. Pritchard, commandant of the Lashio battalion of Burmah Military Police, on the troops in Yunnan (since received), gives a favourable estimate of the value of these troops, but it should be added that Major Pereira (my predecessor, who is now travelling in China), who also saw them recently, rates them as 'decidedly inferior" to the regulars of the divisions of North China-Hupei or Szechuan. It may not be out of place to mention here that in a letter I received two days ago from Major Pereira, dated Taiping Pu (near Tali), the 23rd December, 1910, he says: "General Tsʻui impresses me as one of the best officers
[1918
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