CO129-383 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 164

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

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but if His Majesty's Government fear that it will be difficult to secure an agreement of views between the two countries, then there still remains arbitration as a last resort.

I have the honour to request your Excellency to communicate with His Majesty's Government in this sense, and I hope they will give full consideration to China's real wishes and comply with her urgent request, and so strengthen the friendly relations existing between the two countries.

14353

[April 3

SECTION 3.

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[12141]

No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.~~(Received April 3.)

(No. 113. Confidential.) Sir,

Peking, March 11, 1911. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith copies of two despatches from His Majesty's consul-general at Yunnan-fu enclosing correspondence and reporting conversations with the local authorities regarding the Pienma question.

It will be seen that the Yunnan authorities, basing their arguments upon the Chinese text of Sir E. Satow's despatch of the 30th January, 1904, to the Wai-wu Pu, affect to regard the watershed between the Hsiao Chiang and the Nmai Kha as the boundary line, and choose to ignore the correspondence which has taken place since the examination of the frontier by Mr. Litton and Shih Taotai in 1905.

I have the honour to forward also an interesting memorandum on the whole frontier question, for which I am indebted to Colonel Willoughby, the military attaché to this legation. Colonel Willoughby's researches go to show that Chinese claims to the west of the watershed on the northern portion of the frontier may prove stronger than we expect, and he makes some suggestions to meet possible Chinese demands which may prove very useful later on. But at present the Chinese Government show no disposition to enter into negotiations on the only basis which affords any hope of a successful solution of this long-standing question.

I have, &c.

J. N. JORDAN.

Enclosure 1 in No. 1.

(No. 7.) Sir,

Consul-General O'Brien-Buller to Sir J. Jordan,

Yunnan-fu, January 31, 1911. WITH reference to my telegram No. 3 of the 27th January. I have the honour to forward to you herewith copy of a despatch from the Administrator of Foreign Affairs regarding the occupation of Pienma by British troops and copy of my reply, based on the suggestion contained in your telegram No. 1 of the 28th January.

I have, &c.

P. E. O'BRIEN-BUTLER,

Enclosure 2 in No. 1.

Administrator of Foreign Affairs to Consul-General O'Brien-Butler. (Translation.)

Yünnan-fü, Hsüan-t'ung, 2nd year, 12th month, Sir,

25th day (January 25, 1911). SOME time ago I received a telegram from the Sub-Prefect of Tengyueh to the effect that it was reported to him that in the middle of the 11th moon (December) more than 100 British soldiers with more than fifty horses carrying guns and ammunition, &c., crossed the boundary, built storehouses at Tachia under the jurisdiction of Tengyueh, and, passing through Tachia, advanced to Pienna; and that on the 28th day (29th December) 2,000 soldiers, with more than 2.500 horses, passed Tachia, and, having built a wooden bridge at Tumu on the Hsiao Chiang (Little River), crossed over. When about to send instructions to make an examination regarding the matter, I received a telegram from the Prefect of Yungchang to the effect that it was reported that on the 2nd day of the 12th moon (2nd January) British soldiers entered the territory of Tengkeng, and on the 4th day (4th January) they arrived at Upper Pienma, that the body consisted of the Prefect of Myitkyina, one military officer of the first class, one of the second, a company of 500 soldiers, and a company of more than 200 men for works, with more than 200 horses carrying provisions and ammunition, and that encampments were set up.

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