My Monson has !!!
OUTWARD TELEGRAM
Au Sout
70
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be
kept under Lock and Key.]
[This telegram is of particular secrecy and should be
retained by the authorised recipient and not passed on]
WAR CABINET DISTRIBUTION
7596/828/10
[CYPHER]
To: CHINA
FROM FOREIGN OFFICE TO CHUNGKING
No. 1485
17th November, 1942.
D. 3.25 p.m. 17th November, 1942.
Repeated to Washington No. 495 (Saving by air)
SSSSS
Your telegram No. 1486 [of October 31st: territoriality]..
extra-
Chinese Embassy in Washington have asked the State Department whe ther questions of inland navigation and coastal trade are covered in the treaty and if not whether these are subjects reserved for later negotiation. The State Depart ment gave temporising reply pending consultation with us. They do not wish to reserve any rights not conformable to modern international relations and they have suggested to us the addition of an article to the treaty relinquishing coastal trade and inland navigation subject to a most-favoured- nation clause, but securing national treatment for our shipping in other respects.
We have replied through the United States Embassy to the following effect. The above rights are not specifically mentioned or abrogated by the draft treaty and His Majesty's Government would be very reluctant to include in the present treaty any restrictive provisions regarding shipping which may not be strictly necessary. They would wish instead to discuss these questions in the course of the negotiations for the later comprehensive treaty with a view to arriving at some mutual arrangement.
3.. Meanwhile His Majesty's Government would be prepared to tell the Chinese Government that while they have no wish to retain the unilateral treaty rights they at present possess they hope that pending the negotiations for a comprehensive treaty the Chinese Government will not prohibit British shipping from engaging in inland navigation and, when this again becomes possible, the coastal trade of China, especially as both in the United Kingdom and the Colonies Chinese shipping is in practice permitted to engage in these trades.
1
4. We further informed the United States Government that in our opinion the above line would make a better tactical approach to the Chinese Government than the immediate offer of
/treaty
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