CO129-384 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 422

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Northern Telegraph Company by which their relations

were regularized and their interests in China com-

pletely amalgamated. They now began vigorously to

claim from the Chinese Goverment the full privi-

leges to which by concession they were entitled, and

the English Company applied to the Foreign Office

for support. This support was granted.

The Representatives of the Companies had on

April 22nd, 1887 an interview with Li Hung Chang;

subsequently Chêng at Chefoo took up the business.

The result was a Joint Purse Agreement which was

signed on August 10th.

The India Office was informed but apparently

not the Colonial Office. The India Office raised

objections to the Agreement. Thereupon arose a long

discussion between the Foreign Office, India Office, General

Post Office and the Company, and finally, the sub-

ject proving highly technical, it was arranged to

مانی که

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go.

On August 23rd 1890 the Colonial Office communicat-

The Colonial Office

ed to this Office a memorial from Hongkong Chamber of Commerce protesting against the ratification of the Agreement of August 10th 1887.

pointed out that of this Agreement they had no previous knowledge. In reply an account of the negotiations

regarding the Agreement was sent to the Colonial Office

and it was suggested that the Hongkong Chamber of Com-

merce should be informed that the matter was in abey-

ance, but that their representations would be considered. I

Further petitions from other bodies in China were re-

ceived in the same year by the Colonial Office and

answered in similar terms. The Agreement was never

ratified.

On August 26th 1895 the Eastern Extension Telegraph

Company transmitted copy of a draft Convention (the

Joint Purse Agreement) which was to arrange the diffi-

culties of the two Telegraph Companies and the Chinese

The General Post Office undertook the

Administration.

leave it to the General Post Office who would arrange

the matter. Sir J. Pender, on behalf of the Company

acquiesced in this arrangement.

On

conduct of negotiations with the Companies; the India

Office was consulted by this Office, but not the

Colonial Office. This Joint Purse Agreement was signed

at