CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 242

CES

068/427/10).

do de telegram to Mr R. Ma alany, (Peking),

Foreign Off 09, May 3rd, 1923.

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No. 68.

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240

MO DI STRI EJ TION.

2.0 p.m.

My telegrams Hos. 66 and 67,

Eastern Extension Company inform me that Director-

General of Chinese telegrapha made a declaration to the companies' representatives on 2nd September, 1921, at Peking that China would in 1930 take over all the European os bles

lan ding in China. Article 12 of the Tsingtao agreement (see your despatch No. 66) is also clear indication of the desire of both China and Japan to depose the Ohio Companies from

their present position.

If the Chinese Government do not accept and agree to

carry out the arrangement suggested by the Washington experts, it is important to bear in mind that Hs Majesty's Goverment

consider that there can be no question of cancelling the companies' landing rights or preventing them from working the

cables after 1930. The General Post Off os in form me that telegraph admini stra tions and able Companies have always

tended to regard indefinite landing rights as perpetual and

that such a position in the present ass can be supported by

precedent. In deference, however, to the expressed wishes of the Chinese Government during recent negotiations in Peking, the companies are prepared to agres to landing li con ces after 1930 for a fixed term of years to be agreed upon, and this would seem to be a reasonabile compromise.

Repeat to Tokyo.