CO129-383 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 526

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

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CHINA RAILWAYS.

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CONFIDENTIAL.

& REG 16 JUN

[April 24.]

SECTION 2,

[15201]

No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey. (Received April 24.)

(No. 145.) Sir,

I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith the copy of a note which I have

Peking, March 31, 1911. addressed to the Chinese Government urging the opening of Pukou to foreign trade in the interests of the Tien-tsin-Pukou Railway, and of the community in general.

Enclosure in No. 1.

I have, &c.

J. N. JORDAN.

Your Highness,

Sir J. Jordan to Prince Ch'ing.

I HAVE the honour to address your Highness on the subject of the advisability

Peking, March 27, 1911. of opening the port of Pukou to foreign trade.

Seeing that the first section of the Tien-tsin-Pukou Railway has already been opened to traffic, and that the whole line will in all probability be completed before the end of next year, it appears to me that the time has arrived to make the necessary arrangements for the opening of Pukou to foreign trade. The business quarter of the new port would naturally be situated on the river bank in the neighbourhood of the railway station, and as all the land there would require raising several feet to be above flood level, the sooner the people are allowed to buy or lease lots and commence filling operations the better. Moreover, it is in the interest of all concerned that the conveniences offered by the railway should be utilised as promptly as possible, and the best means to this end is to facilitate the purchase of land by merchants, and especially by the local shipping companies.

His Majesty's consul at Nanking has already spoken in the above sense to the Viceroy, but the latter replied to him that it was not intended to open Pukou as a treaty port, or even as a trade mart. The Viceroy explained that business with that side of the river would have to be done in the future as in the past from Isiakaan, the foreign settlement of Nanking, which would be connected with Pukou by added that foreign merchants could, if they liked, rout land or warehouses temporarily a ferry. He on the Pukou side under the rights accorded to them under the inland navigation rules, but they would not be allowed to purchase land. the Board of Communications.

This was the decision arrived at by

In my opinion under such conditions the Tien-tsin-Pukou Railway is hardly likely to be a profitable concern. Apart from the inconvenience to passengers of having to be ferried from and to the south side of the river instead of being lauded or embarked directly at Pukou, the fact that there was no custom-house there would be a very serious hindrance to trade.

It is possible that the Viceroy of Nanking and the Board of Communications do not realise how very important a commercial centre Pukou would become if the development of trade by the railway were encouraged instead of being hindered by limitations of this kind. I would venture therefore to recommend strongly that the Chinese Government should reconsider the whole question in all its bearings, and announce their intention at an early date to open Pukou to foreign trade.

Awaiting the favour of an early reply, I avail, &c.

J. N JORDAN.

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