CO129-451 - Public Offices - 1918 — Page 247

243

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

C.O

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

7053

CONFIDENTIAL.

[November 12.]

SECTION 4.

REC2

REG 8 FEB 18

[216198]

No. 1.

Sir C. Greene to Mr. Balfour.-(Received November 12.)

(No. 687.) Sir,

Tokyo, October 5, 1917. SPEAKING of the political outlook in China yesterday, Viscount Motono told me that, in consequence of some rumours which had reached him that relations between the President of the Republic and Prime Minister were not very satisfactory, and that the former was in secret communication with some of the Southern Generals, e.g., in Yünnau and Canton, he bad instructed Baron Hayashi to see the Premier and ask him quite frankly whether there was any truth in the stories. Baron Hayashi had seen the Premier, bis Excellency said, and had been assured by the latter that his relations with the President were very good-indeed, of a much closer character than those between the latter and the Southern leaders. Viscount Motono had gathered that there was some sort of quasi-fraternal liaison between the President and Premier, a relationship which was unknown in Japan, but which was not uncommon, and apparently carried some weight in China. Moreover, it appears that the two statesmen had arrived at some sort of working understanding as to the distribution of the spoils of office by an agreement to make the appointments of Governors and high officials in rotation. Lastly, there was the improbability that the Southern Generals would risk their forces against the military strength of the Premier Tuan as long as he remained on good terms with the President of the Republic. Altogether, as a result of Baron Havashi's account of his confidential conversation with Tuan, Viscount Motono was inclined to put some trust in what he reported, and to think the situation favourable for the time being,

In the course of our conversation I took the opportunity of thanking Viscount Motono for his cordial reception of Sir John Jordan while here, at which I regretted that I had been prevented by illness from being present. 1 had, however, I said, learnt from Sir John himself before he left Tokyo that he was taking away the best possible impression from the conversation which he had had with his Excellency and the conversation which he had subsequently had with the Prime Minister. I knew that Sir John had been impressed by the evident desire of both Viscount Motono and Count Terauchi to follow a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of China, and had been encouraged thereby to work with Baron Hayashi, who was an old friend of his, for the common interests of our two Governments in that country. In reply, Viscount Motono said that he, too, had much appreciated his exchange of views with His Majesty's Minister, and had the feeling that he and Sir Johu now understood each other far better than would have been possible if Sir John had not visited Tokyo and made friends with him.

(Copy to Peking.)

I have, &c.

CONYNGHAM GREENE,

[2745 m-4]