CO129-383 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 221

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

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[10831]

No. 1.

C O

14853

[March 24.]

SECTION 1.

(No. 67.)

Sir G. Buchanan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received March 24.)

(Telegraphic.) P.

RUSSO-CHINESE relations.

St. Petersburgh, March 24, 1911.

My telegram No. 63, Confidential, of the 22nd March.

I was asked to call at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this afternoon, and M. Nératow informed me that instructions had been sent to-day to the Russian Minister at Peking to address a further note to the Wai-wu Pu, in which he was to state that while the Chinese Government had given satisfactory answers on five out of the six points submitted to them, they were adopting dilatory tactics with regard to the question of the ten monopoly. The Russian Government must insist on the acceptance by the Chinese Government of the interpretation which they placed on their treaty rights in this matter, as laid down in their note to the Chinese Government of the 16th February.

The Chinese Government must, moreover, within three days from the reception of the present Russian note send in a formal document notifying that they accept the Russian interpretation of this point, and recapitulating their answers on the other five points submitted. If they comply with this demand, the Russian Government, on their part, will be ready to give friendly consideration to any suggestions which they may wish to make for modifying the terms of the commercial treaty of 1881. If, on the other hand, they fail to comply with Russia's demand, the Russian Government will consider that they are at liberty to take any measures that may appear proper to them.

I pointed out that this note was an ultimatum, and M. Nératow admitted that it was so, and said that if the Chinese Government refused to yield an advance towards the Chinese frontier would be ordered.

[1918 aa-