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    {
        "id": 240873,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-061 - Public Offices - 1856",
        "page_number": 316,
        "title": "CO129-061 - Public Offices - 1856",
        "content_text": "Majority and what is the fate of ins evidence?\n\n1st represented as having \"confirmed a purp-es- fure \"under\" a Verbal assurance Baz die would But be FROSECUTED\" for his encroachments.\" We are assure by thow, who have seen the appen dix, that no such evidence the found therein, or any one word enpulite of being fairly construei Into a declaration that the mere indemnity agrins JUNISHMENT\" was interpreted into a reaction of Crown rights! The campission would hav done well to listen to the copeluing portion of the evidence of that Witness whose opinioas deserve all attention,\" when he says for all ess encouragement being given, I think if on inle to speak of the legal responsibility neur Art\"\n\nThe President the Commission, however, can- act divest himself of his gama fat ano modent; and not only, but ne his seasily pronounced his opinion aifany Marine Lo folder should fechos to take the ground flted in in front of his Lot, Gaverament rony oust him from the Lore IT ELF!\n\nLet this be borne ja rind, for should ang eir cumalance deprive as of the presence of our ante and respected Cliet Justice, surely his suegrant 1ust be fauad some where else than amongst those whose Verdists are delivered before the Jury is exponnelled. And mark the grounds.--1 opanks the Lease.\n\nUnder 5000 fest-\n\nscawan\n\nSUPPLEMENT.\n\nBut we hure yet to explain, and it should have been stated in the first place, that the lines on the sea you are driven to a imaginary depth We believe, however, theeo tiuas pretty nearly represcat the extent to which Sir John Bowring wishes leare holders to carry their fets and make a Roadway of thirty feet in width. To nary out there lots to the extent required the whole of the hosters are willing enough: bet to the for mation of a Rund way for public per shey have no in sination, put, the Honorable! the Aitorney Gen- eral's opinion notwithstanding-it is not in the ardinery mainer of the Crown to insist on such n Real being spevat.\n\nThat such a Road is not wanted for mere pas- senger traffic wilt be auparest to wit on an in- spection of the wood eat-there being ample space on the Queen's Rood for the passage of all fa po- polarna we hang at present. That sven a Rond in not wants for wasrfage purposes, inspectors of the wood eut will also be satis lad: -and we razy well ask, if ont for hare, den for what perpes la the Priya winted? In M. Sa mayor General Gordon's suggestion for 2 primate Praya, prepared an a scheme propounded by Sir Henry Pottinger befors Las for int were drafted, it is there sail that in case of an invasion by foreign forces the runway would be convenient for transporting cantan speedily and this, really, is the only use conver ible as a necessity.\n\nExcept and always reserved unto fer a Majesty. Ber Heirs, Suecreare and Amigos, fall As for any aid la Police arrangements, it is our \" parver to resume and lake pession of all or any opinion thai, whatever any be in store for us in part of the said pisce or pircel of ground hereby the future, as regards a more efficient force the demised, if required for the improvement of the formation of a Praya will never be other tasa au anit Colony of Hongkong or for any other Publicaid to intending burglars; and the consequence *parpuse whatsnovor, three Calendar Manito will be that when the Bank and Merchants Bird nation heig giera to the occupant thereof of us they coneet lood Pressure and valuable merchan. being so required, a full and fuir compensation *for sizeh end land and buildings thereon being pald to the said und an, his heirs, executors cal vigation to be fairly and imputing\n\n  \n    \n  \n\nTo the flattor of the \"Hosszene Revuras.\"\n\n-\n\nHasan, 254 47, 153 Sen-Referring to the letter in the fast iseac of the China Mail on the subject of the unfair deductions drawn from the bulence taken by the Boxing Trays Chearsalon in huis published report, beg leave to second my testimony in care buration of the laws of the waiter of that letter, so to sixte in my videre given to that Commission netther warra fins justifies n\n\nvery rouse, what an a\n\npoint thing whatever is said. but it sorte respects on here pats upon it,\n\n3(\n\nmare Mtorney General at Hunghong, for the sume reason, by the same person, Cash, by the way. has gone to the Catentivels in a nimbolte frame of mind. He rears he is sacrifont - a regular mantyy vie | tim of all kinds of machinations, to get rid of Adan; aud though he admits that the berth is a govi out, great pay and little to do, he weys ke ought to have something far better, must higher pay, nothing es all to do in deply to do is He vores he is honestly\n\nTollectie my nating givethe fableving extret for worth for were respectable figure; that Palmers the report, which from the anginui neto apunate to be based ¦ton knows it, or if he doesn't that he is the only wae ratire on ny evidence. Another witness, also a zizristiarn of the jacts whe is ignorant on that deadz jat kokler, was perbally satisfies? ↑ « maid (int lie host rennired and trai heltt lake care the world shall be wiser befors very recently an excouragement from the Governor imagifit is much older. li surmind that the ut us time\n\ncrari apon the sea shore in front of his lot and reclaim it Cu being estar to crudescend to prurlavhars, red particularly sugary temper of Chisholm is rather that the Governor in queson was Sar G. Bonham chat Bir soared by the analytic proces a certain little biti 1. Botham ad id in answer to a questions, thus he of his, relation in something forensic in the com had no pawer to sulfanze his intended purprentare, or to wate him any tile to the ined when he should have reclamissionership line, has been subjected to : and that, as and it-that all be (the Gosure) wonkl say wha, that unless he has got all he is likely to get, he don't see the his the tenant's) neighbours compainel, Dovernment would we of exhibiting manh thankfulness for passoura to mot prosende son for the entrenchment, and that in his than, as his countryman, thi pheographer of the | Gavertur's) primate spizion the tumant would be “at right,\"\n\nwould be done at his own risk, and than as the tenant wrest held himself responsible for the consequences,\" \"The tales or my own, and mark the portion of the paragrafential y vakmo. The tales or my own, and mark the portion of the paragrafential y vakmo. First, as to being requied to closed to particulara. it may be remembered that at the pelic meling bell to ecrandér tin Government notilleation of 10th November last, I strongly advod the pelicy of meeting the icon of His Excellency the Governor, bring my arents en the same intervw with Sir G. Bestum. Is giving my evidence before the Commission, this interview was brough toy bentlection, sud I prouistet re give the whole parti calars of it without any attempt at centralmer, rolering Grły grosa-questioning unnecesway -- Berninly the report wash it appar that but plendouragement to reclaim, and that on the tall bring esete, (corlewing partient) I had overly been praiser innvaruty fron panishment, (if it be even that it me sellers siching to me about punishment anerosement,\" ble for the congeecaces. Now I will declare that Eiz George\n\nor responsibility for the aequcxers, and feonsider the wond\n\nciasto.\n\nbut that the tenant trust anderstand that what he oughts, defines gratule. Ainsley hay dore this the Bust lably, am in Chian, but Aur Monor; and is reported to have left for publication in this country a record of experiences optriciy confirmatory of his ginnt Tower kill wud kropping block theory an The Fizon, Afghanistan, and the Oriente ahontas ation of the same category --Correspondent of Li- verpacť Albion.\n\ndize noticed by such a mulus ay be seen condescension que inapplicatie to my detector before the\n\nthe Bonham Strand ocw, and would he soon on the Bowring Puya, too, if once completed, they wit think high sine to make arrangements to:\n\nmade by the Surveyor of fer vnd Myasty establishing alsowhers. Nor let this ideo be whis\n\nIf, in these words, the Allorney General can find right in disposase the lanse holder whose cand is not required, but who derlines to PUKERASE More, or it on the latter clause he can watabiish the fact that the fairness and impartiality of the Surveyor General emaot be challenged by thu Lease holder, we shall willingly accord to hire the Conjora's Medal, and hail biar es the 4 Wizard of the East,\"\n\nAnd now, Sir, nilow us to apologise for the pro Jongation of this Letter, for when we beg a place in your columns, -Your obedient Servants.\n\n— F. of U. Apríl ið,\n\nCAVENT & Co.\n\nStates with the pertinence of that passage in Ca. reat Ca's letter running--\n\nThere is ample space now, and ware than ample space lo teen fallic Warien, for double the wants of the Com regnity who have ut se foutages Wat aro thuir repirnama! Minch\n\nmain by the China Mail and others about tiam inumavenience to the publin dwel ing to the sauth of the Queen's Road! Leteny one who knows the pture an Es eye along the fist of residents, and \"their accopations, and then re how many to the \"of the tusen's Road, and up the Hill, nynire large Whar fage accordation. What did the China Mare require « What goods did he land -and what inconvenience was he \"subjected? None! As the same reply will serve loy whe tenths of those who inhabit the tata es on the \"Bill; aut such mast niet he the case, at Cooke tice aline would very soon abs any hone hit serving from redacod rentals on Inland Lots were they used as stung ground, \" --and impressed with the idea that readers at a disuence can never understand the Bowring Praya question from letter press alone, we have prepared, and publish below, a small woed cut of the distracted district.\"Spaces marked Nu. I t on this wond cut exhibit the tots affected by the proposed measure and the dotted lines delineate the general contour of the shore, up to which approximately, leases are already practed hy the Crowa The parts in black are Government holdings, available for Junding placas if goven- ment wilt make them.The fretted lots enclosed in No. 1 represent streets ia Chilmon's, Chinam's and Endicott's Baznars, the whole sen front at which is as open to the public for wharfage as it can well! he. The surch, as slightly altered from the plan accompanying the Hongkong Almansek for 1848, ¦ is drawn to a scale of 400 funt to the inch, and gives a sea ling of 2,700 fest, of which 600 are Loveramant avaliables -400 private bazaare with public wharves, and the remaindet,-private pro- perty the comparative figures being us 17 to 10, or say of private property, and 3 of public landį ings. Surely these faci-that wie ding\" should be sufficient for the most seeptical if stiti dis posed to cavil ni Carat of Cs assertion that i there is ample space for pubite Wharver for #donble the wants of the Comininity who have not sea frontages withou: disturbing rosted rights. For the farther information of readors et dis\n\ntance wo way state that area No. I of the wood eur\n\nis\n\nis part of land sold last year an eoedition that ai Feaya should run in front of it-Port of No, the same; the space between 2 and 3 is Padder's Wharf--between 4 and 5 is the Oriental Bank Who:f-between 5 and 6 the Central Market, and betweco 8 and 9 the privata Bazar and Wharf of Messrs Gibb, Lavingston & Co.-—the deep line of the angle n 9 representing the entrance from the Queen's Road to Benbam Strand. The Leasehol ders opposing the Bowring Praya schome are, in No 2, Mears Lindsay & Co and Dent & Co-in No. 4. Messrs Jardine Mathearn & Co., Turaer &Co, Bowra & Co., Legraik and Storgie, To No. 6, the Onental Bank Corporation and Mesars Jardine, Mathesan & On. In No. 6, the Agents\n\nfor Thomas Ripiey. In No. 8, Mosers William Scott, James White and Julin Bird & Co.-and in\n\nNo. 9, Messrs Gibb, Livingston & Co. On the In-\n\nland side of the Road, the storekeepers, to a jana,\n\nas we are informed, express themselves in opposi tips to the Praya; and it only remains to be said of the mercantile offices in streets in rear of the Queen's Road-eit. in those of Messrs Williams, Anthon & Cu, Dreyer & Co., J. Dos Remedios, James Staphenson, Angier & Co, 8. E. Barrows and C. Boyd, that only two are in the habit of storing Croods on the basements of their premises; the su perficialGlown area so used boing, we are sure,\n\n• The round member given are quite approximato we repost; but the spacas used na landing plairs by the pub- ho are ukeratuted if any thing,\n\n......\n\nled down. A quarter of a century henes and, in these days of annexation and progress to whom mey belang ibe the island of Lenia? With a French or an American, or, it may be, s Russian settlement herend less chance of being borns down by the \"trong talkce\" of a Bowring Praya Comms sion, how long is likely offered advantages would remain accepted\n\ni\n\nIt was clearly manifeat ra me that the presiding member af\n\nment had been in the habit of resumứng lợin without giving inty other compensation than the Surveyör Generļa spínatè ment. On the print i was closely quistioned by the \"Cone- ssina, and although I acklaced two cases where she ca ant, retting the compensatum cffered, obtained third he asked, the report is not only silent on the portion of spy es dence, but itcally asserts thos it reale with the Sarvey General\" alone to code the question of ommpensation.\" \"la one of the casey I addured, I alleged that in February 1954,\n\nandaard, Lendale, Matize for No 79 e 10 del bars; us Isoil a year after fae 15 as the sale on anualed by the receipt of notice of resumption, the esi price 180 dollara, bring named as compensación. Ón veference to de lerse secret it stipulated that I was to have a alirampantion at a rate to be Sirly and impartially made by the Surveyor, de 19 anitced the hardship of the ee to the Acting Alertsy General who replied that the compensation must be far and equitable, which the offer whe not, and that I count ant be crapeited to access, it, Tur report the public, I was thos, with many others of the simple and cezading publis, deluded into a vers extraordinary error. If such be the case I don't think that any one wil\n\nbuilding in din Clony whendir cars be taken fora him by a Government whose legal adviser not only propounds bad. vocates soch a munstrous doctrine,\n\nslo L'aring wishet in have it related that Govern\n\nWe have said the Lenses were drafted after the Gordon Prays was suggested: and this face is worthy of particular note, for had Sir Henry Putinger ve amourent éontemplated coercion ino a Prays shows, how casy would it have ben to have inserted words giving authority to the action! Yet, hard as are the terms of the fenses, not parage-not a word—can be con-in be deleted into the day of exerting aus substantia strued towards an abrogation of the term on which Marine Lots were first bought. viz holding from the Ses to the road. If, owing to washings from the hitis, and other causes, the as recedes, the terms of the original sale bare still to be acted on by the Crown-he taste of the interests of the to whose use the kod is demised—and, the surne suivit that the Crown promises fall and fair compensation for ell it takes away-such fairt compensation must be given for the lard it adds. Such Mr Chisholm Anstey with and to be the de- should it be found necessary still further to resist cision of higher legal authorities than himself. the formation of a BowRING PRASA F. of C.Aprii\n\n30.\n\nSEA\n\nW\n\n起\n\n*Not two pence per foot--nar the fourth of it,\n\nin conclusion, I have to state may regret that this effoient manner of obtaining the views of the\n\nsaking gri- Buna tratores commission should be so for abused as to render it calikely that such thony with infulare procurable. The non attendance of a rouch respected anal leading member of the enciminals, eu inne comptinet of by the Fraya Coromin, may doubtices be travel infe sight rather than discotusy-1 am, Sir, Your client Servant.\n\nof 17, May 3.\n\nY. J. MURROW.\n\nAUDI ALTERAM PARTEM is a motto for which wo bava much regard, and we readily give insertion to the letter front Lex, with the extract, in italics, to which it refers. The emoluments of the office of Attorney Greeral here are certainly not mere\n\nFRIENDS of the Caprain Coonew some time in the service of ike P. & 0 Company here, and displaced from his common and under sirzamances reflecting little erafit un ruo Agent of that day in China, will learn with pleasure that he is now in the service of the Honourable East India Company; and mor has it will shortly have the appoints ment of Master Attonduit at Matlah. The\n\nfollowing extract from the Caletta Finglish-\n\nnot a 7th ult., is interesting --\n\nOx the ah ulana Sept Comew commanding the E. Company's servaying vessel Gruppler which has been employed in buoying off the Mur all, took charge of the bark. Murmyan Crown China, which vesel\" tad entered that rive by mistake. The Marion was brought up eately to Calcntia, Cap. Priest the Commander of the Maraina was dangerously l, when the Grappler fe in with her which probably caused the mistake. Capt. Commend the crew of the Grappler are criting > ly entaled to me renumeration for thuir ser vices, as the Marmion wes in a dangerous patitisa and would probably have been lost without exis. cane of 13. April 19.\n\n(Continued from supplement poge 31, column 4.) ment, wiz, that on all papers hence passing aror the Isthmus of Panainn, a separate chargo of two pence was a be collected in advance\n\nOn the 2nd of Fairmary came nirections to pay a penny in advance mill sepers hence i England: these sent via Marseilles, with a three peny collection at hone, remaining unlistar- Newspaper Proprietors and forwarding Agents ed. The hard bearing of this amurcement oa\n\nis most manifest. Had the order appeared a month before instead of a month after the beginning of the year we could then have charged such additional pernigs to the Bills for subscription -as it is we must put up with the lows-au inconsiderable one in the ag gregate.\n\nUpon what enamon sense principle this ar-\n\ntha a Barrister of Mr Chisholm Anstoy's stand-rangement has been made we are at a bus 19\n\ning might have expected for doing a \"boom\" in\n\nhis Augran stable.\n\ndiscover. It, simply, with vie w lo econ. omise the labnar el taxing clerks at home, then, in two ways, will the pathe be made to pay a Jor the false idea-firel, in the more costly pay. ment in Colonin: Post Offices for the extra fa- lour given to the collectors, and second-in the reduction in the number of papers regular-\n\nknow that many people take no other means for notifying friends at home of their being able male Newspapers:-the charm of the thing in e a pen tion by addressing covers on lying the little tronbie al na exponse. Alas! we shoult speak in the past tea+d, — the spel is broken the demand for the penny in advance has checked the kindly patention the longing friend loves his expected treat- the postal revente ja so much the less-and the not wanted newspaper is eat to the Ash: box. With so many arguments for the alteration of thia demon for peuries in advance, we tre assured that the tenuro ofile existence will he very brief,\n\nTo the Editor of the Friend of China\"\n\nHONGKONG, 16th April, 1856. Fiz,--Possibly some ingenious philosopher will one day discover a rural storecacope, which wits trasmitted.ts for instance-We all enable us to comprehend at one view the real cha- racter of every illustrious stranghouers cer litte colony with it presenco. At present we can only see one side at a time; and as an object is described by various parties from different points of view, the want of resemblance, and, what is worse, the want of harmony in the several portraits. ie perplexing in the extreme. Witness our last new breone comes upon pa like a comet, in un atmosphere of glory-Gur quit nunos rajoice in the advent of another piller of the state-a real, thorough, radicel, independent. reforming patriotic member of the House of Commons, and we hear of nothing save hire and his career for more than the statue number of nine days. The Mail gives hint an oration from the tow Magazine, you re-produce a sketch by the Parliamentary por trait painter, both highly credible to the artists and honorable to the subject of their labours;-but, intermediately, the Register obtains a nearer view, and resolves the appearance of our corces in the shape of a broom- now broom-which sweeps about is a very eccentric orbit, and hita hard with the shank besides. It was wrong in the Register not to begin by describing the glorious appe manes of the thing at a dislunce.—not to hunt up its splendid antecedents, like his neighbours, before producing his daguerreotype iikennes of ithus be found its stiff sharp bristles rush so romorso leasty across the grain atong our good old China am, with a view, as he shabbily avers, to profits: with a cover open at the sides, at a enarge of\n\nTwo other notifications still comain to be noricet-one of the 22nd vitine, to the effect that the French Post Office will account for ali poarages on papers from Hongkong to the United Kingdoin, a knowledge of which face to this community is not very importan lastly a \"trausuiseios of books\" afisation, in the Gazette of the 55 tastant, by which it is usdained that pa kata may be forwarded hence to Malta and Gibraltar, via Bgypt,and to Ber muda and the British West tudies (Barbadoses, Trauidad and Tork's Baland excepted) not ex- ceeding Two feet in lenghth breadth or widin,\n\nout of the repairs, that bis injured toelings at once tight pence per bulí a pound to Malis and\n\n: \n\ngove vent to their anguish. It will comiert tho, Gibraltar, and one sholing and two pence par Register to know that others have entertained half pound in the Wen ludies such rates p- suspicions respecting the peculiar \"Quixotism\" of plying to the first pound only, after which: the tis new broom, and no doubt he will read with charge has to be incrensed for every fraction action the other side of the questions etted of a pound as a pound-letters found in suc by the well known London Correspondent of the Liverpool Albion, in the subjoined extract, which I packets being charged postage with an addi- \n\nition of back packet postage as a penalty. suppose your fairness to both sides will allow you to insert.-I enclose the name of my Solicitor, sud am, Sir, your obedient servant,\n\nLE X\n\nHow the-ow-Post happens to be Pam's own print is unintelligible to all, and their name is legion, who reject the Urquhartive story about a former edi- tor having called for P.'s mad as a traitor, and then being muzalisha St. Petersburg esksut skip, just as in the present ease of Ansley, who is\n\nSuch are some of the changes that have caught our eye: there may be others, and if there are out, we may, after the late rate of two notifications a mouth, soon expect them. But this, really, is too serions a matter og tyne unfled with, and something must be done t check the nuisance of indeercet legislation.\" by auteur Post Masters General,--F. of C. April, 19.\n\n312\n\nINDEX",
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    {
        "id": 348646,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "CO129-254 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1892 [1-4]",
        "page_number": 379,
        "title": "CO129-254 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1892 [1-4]",
        "content_text": "# MATERIALS FOR A HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN HONGKONG.\n\nGrant came prominently before the British public. The Committee of the Privy Council, deliberately favouring religious education, had made a regulation which directed that the authorized version of the Scriptures (and no other) should be used in all Schools to which the aid of the Government was extended. This was a rather objectionable regulation, because it deliberately excluded Roman Catholic and other versions of the Scriptures, and therefore inhibited Roman Catholic Schools from participation in the Grant, while it admitted Wesleyan and other Nonconformist Schools as well as those of the Church of England. The educational vote was on this ground fiercely attacked in Parliament by Sir R. Peel, Sir W. Molesworth and men of all parties, and the vote, which had by this time risen from the first grant of £20,000 made in 1833, to £30,000 in 1839 and to £100,000 in 1847, was passed only when Lord J. Russell had pledged the Government to a speedy change of system in regard to the exclusion of the Roman Catholics.\n\nWithin five days after their appointment, the Educational Committee of Hongkong presented their report to Government (11 November, 1847). They stated in this report, that they had visited all the existing Chinese Schools in Victoria, Aberdeen, and Stanley, excepting those supported by the charitable contributions of Europeans (i.e., the local Mission Schools); that at Victoria they found 3 Schools in active operation (in Taipingshan, Sheungwan, and Chungwan) with 67 scholars; that at Aberdeen they found 2 Schools with 27 scholars, at Stanley 3 Schools with 29 scholars. They explained that the system of instruction, which was identical in all these Schools, comprised only Chinese reading and writing, the readers being the Three-Characters Classic and similar elementary books, rising to the Four Books and Five Classics. The Committee stated that the school fees, paid by each individual scholar, varied from $8 to $6 per annum, but they pointed out that in Stanley and Aberdeen the fishing seasons, commencing in the third and ninth moons of each Chinese year, interfered sadly with the attendance. Then, as to the question of religious versus secular education, the Committee unanimously made the following memorable declaration: \"With regard to interference with the religious prejudices of the Chinese, we think that there is no need for apprehension. We cannot think it advisable to separate the knowledge of what we and all the Christian world confess to be the highest truths, from other knowledge. We therefore advocate the ultimate introduction into these Schools of the study of the Bible, and we should regret any measure likely to exclude religious instruction: but at present we think any interference with the existing course of instruction would be injudicious. We suggest that no such interference be attempted at present, but that a Committee, for the purpose of improving the Schools which accept of Government aid, be appointed and that they make from time to time, subject to the approval of the Government, such alterations in the mode of tuition as may gradually lead to the introduction of a better system.\" The Committee concluded this admirable report by stating that they believed that the desire manifested by Her Majesty's Government to provide in some degree for the education of the poorer classes of the population would be appreciated by well-disposed Chinese, but that vigilance would be required to prevent misappropriation of the monthly grant.\n\nThe Government lost little time in acting upon the foregoing report of this Committee, of which Mr. Hillier was the head as Mr. Stanton was its heart. On 10th November 1847, Colonel Caine informed the Committee that the Government approved of the recommendations of the Committee. This statement virtually implied approval of the adoption of a Government Grant-in-Aid system having the definite aim of converting existing secular Schools of the Chinese people into Government Grant-in-Aid Schools, in which, with judicious caution, a religious education, based on the Christian Bible, was eventually to be introduced, so as to reform by insensible steps the native Confucian system of teaching. Such was at any rate the purport of the recommendations which the Committee had made and which the Government now formally approved. There is indeed reason to believe that Colonel Caine meant nothing of the sort, for, when stating that the grant for the Three Schools was to commence on January, 1848, he added the following caution: \"the grant is to be strictly confined to the objects detailed in my letter of 7th instant and always subject to the pleasure of the Government.\" But that letter of 7th November contained not a word justifying prohibiting the introduction of that religious education, which the Committee had made the heart and soul of their recommendations. No further instructions were given to the Committee which was formally appointed on 6th December, 1847, and consisted of Mr. C. B. Hillier, the Rev. V. Stanton, and Mr. J. M. Marques (who had meanwhile succeeded Mr. Inglis as Acting Registrar General). They were merely requested to act as a Committee of Supervision and to send half-yearly reports on the progress of the students and on the fitness and ability of the teachers.\n\n## 1848\n\nDuring this year the Protestant Schools of the Colony consisted of Mr. Stanton's Church of England School, where Mr. F. Drake taught (single-handed, it seems) 27 boys and 18 girls, the cost of the School being $562; the Morrison Education Society's School, which was continued by Mr. W. A. Macy with 22 Chinese scholars costing $1336; and the Anglo-Chinese College under Dr. Legge, who expended $73 on the tuition of 27 Chinese boys and 7 Chinese girls. In September, 1848, Mr. J. Summers (subsequently Professor of Chinese Literature at King's College, London) arrived as the first Head-Master of St. Paul's College, and commenced teaching a small number of Chinese boys, collected from the lower classes of the Chinese population. About the same time Mr. Stanton requested the Trustees of St. Paul's College in England to transfer all their rights and powers to the Lord Bishop of Victoria. This was accordingly done. The Roman Catholic Mission, besides continuing their theological Seminary, now started an Anglo-Portuguese School with 15 Portuguese boys under Father Girard, also a Chinese School with 14 Chinese boys under Chun A-yee and a Girls' School in which 13 European and Portuguese girls were taught English and French by Sisters of Charity. The Roman Catholic Mission thus followed the example of Mr. Stanton's Church of England School in educating the sons and daughters of European residents while the Government and the Protestant Missions laboured chiefly for the benefit of the Chinese.\n\nThe working of the Government Grant-in-Aid Schools commenced on 23rd February, 1848, when Masters were appointed for three Schools for Chinese children (Victoria, Stanley, and Aberdeen). Mr. Marques having resigned his appointment and left the Colony (8 February), the remaining members of the Committee, the Rev. V. Stanton and Mr. C. B. Hillier, presented their first half-yearly report (9 August, 1848). They reported an average attendance of 96 scholars in the above-mentioned 3 Grant-in-Aid Schools, and stated that they had insisted upon Arithmetic being taught and required more explanation to be given of the Chinese reading books, but otherwise left the native methods of teaching intact. They also reported now the existence of 12 private Chinese Schools in the Colony, viz., 6 in Victoria, 2 in Stanley, and 4 in Aberdeen, with a total of 214 boys. From this it appears that, as the activity of Protestant educationists aroused the energies of the Roman Catholic Mission, so the new-born pedagogical zeal of the Government stimulated the educational efforts of the... \n\nPage 373",
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    {
        "id": 412269,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-345 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907",
        "page_number": 29,
        "title": "CO129-345 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907",
        "content_text": "## British engineers should be employed on works executed with the proceeds of the loan, the purpose of which he defined as [Chinese characters], which Mr. Hillier translates as \"public works,\" I, as \"engineering and tradal undertakings.\"\n\nThe only other serious objection raised by him was as to the appointment of a receiver of the li-kin revenue in case of default in payment of interest or instalments of principal. I pointed out that a similar provision was to be found in the 1900 and 1905 Loan Agreements; but he argued that now all Agreements were very closely scrutinized, and that the comparatively excessive size of the revenue pledged rendered such a provision in addition to the quarterly li-kin bonds quite superfluous. He also urged us to promise a net price of 947⁄ for each 1007⁄ bond; but this Mr. Hillier could not assent to without a reply from his principals in London, who had originally suggested 921⁄.\n\nAs the conversation had already lasted a long time, we agreed to leave the points on which we were not quite in accord for further discussion after the Viceroy had had time to peruse the draft Agreement at leisure, and Mr. Hillier had received from his principals replies to his telegraphic Reports.\n\nWe were desirous of retiring, but the Viceroy detained us to consider the Yokohama Specie Bank's request to be one of the issuing banks, and Mr. Odagiri's scheme of carrying out railway construction by tenders involving deferred payment for work done.\n\nI repeated to his Excellency my declaration to Messrs. Midzumo and Odagiri that the issue question pertained entirely to the banks concerned; and Mr. Hillier added that the prospectus of a loan could not contain the name of any bank not mentioned in the loan contract.\n\nAs regards the construction tenders, we held that, if the payments were deferred beyond at most one year after the work was taken over by the railway's engineer, such contracts were really loans in disguise—and, as I pointed out, loans at high rates, as the contractor must insure himself against contingencies during the period of suspense.\n\nThe Viceroy let us gather that his real desire was to avoid having to apply for Peking sanction for further loans and, at the same time, to placate the Japanese, who professed to be able to advance up to 7,000,000 yen in such contracts.\n\nHis Excellency welcomed the suggestion that the Hong Kong and Shanghae Bank might finance such work equally with the Yokohama Specie Bank, and he seemed disposed to agree to cover advances by second mortgage bonds of the Ya-li-ch'u—an arrangement which Mr. Hillier thought rendered the scheme a sound business proposal, so long as the amount at any time outstanding and the periods of the advances were kept within reasonable limits.\n\nI have, &c.\n\n(Signed)  \nE. H. FRASER\n\n## Inclosure 2 in No. 1.\n\n### Draft Agreement, dated June 10, 1907.\n\n**THIS Agreement** made between his Excellency Chang, Viceroy of the Hukuang provinces of China, &c., acting with the authority of and on behalf of the Imperial Government of China, hereinafter called the Viceroy, of the one part, and the Hong Kong and Shanghae Banking Corporation and Banque de l'Indo-Chine as agents for an Anglo-French combination, comprising one or more Companies formed or to be formed, hereinafter called the Syndicate, of the other part, for the issue and regulation of a loan of £1,000,000 for the carrying out of public works and improvement of communications in the Province of Hupei, witnesseth as follows:---\n\n1. The Syndicate is hereby authorized to issue an Imperial Chinese Government 5 per Cent. Gold Loan for the amount of £1,000,000. The loan shall be entitled \"**The Imperial Chinese Government 5 per Cent. Sterling Loan of 1907, for Hupei provincial Public Works and Communications**.”\n\n2. Interest on the loan shall be at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, and shall be calculated on the amount of the nominal principal of the loan from time to time outstanding. The interest shall commence on the first day of the month, Western calendar, in which the loan is issued to the public, and, subject to earlier redemption of the loan, shall be paid to the banks hereinafter appointed as agents for the service of the loan, by the Viceroy, in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 of this Agreement. Interest will cease on complete redemption of the loan.\n\nThe term of the loan shall be fifteen years, and the principal shall be repaid to the bondholders in ten equal annual instalments of £100,000, commencing with the sixth year; but the Viceroy shall have the right to redeem the loan at par at any time after the expiration of ten years, that is to say, that, in addition to the annual drawings in Europe provided for in the prospectus, the Viceroy on giving six months' notice to the banks may call for extra drawings to be held for redemption at par of the whole or any portion of the principal outstanding. Any such extra drawings must take place on the date of an ordinary drawing provided for by the prospectus.\n\n3. The service of principal and interest of the loan shall be paid in instalments every three months by the Viceroy to the Hong Kong and Shanghae Banking Corporation and the Banque de l'Indo-Chine in accordance with the amounts, and ten days in advance of the dates of the schedule to be attached to this Agreement when the date of issue of the loan has been fixed, together with a sum of one-quarter of 1 per cent. on such amounts to cover commission to the Hong Kong and Shanghae Banking Corporation and the Banque de l'Indo-Chine, who are hereby appointed agents for the entire service of repaying the loan; and funds in Hankow sycee sufficient to meet each such payment in gold in Europe on its due date will be handed to those banks in Hankow, the exchange for which will be arranged by the Viceroy with those banks. The Viceroy shall have the option of settling exchange at any date or dates within three months previous to any due date for the repayment of interest and principal. The Syndicate retains the right to rearrange the service of interest and repayments of principal to the bondholders on such terms as it shall deem advisable.\n\n4. The Syndicate shall issue, and is hereby authorized to issue, to subscribers to the loan bonds for the total amount of the loan, in such form, languages, currencies, and amounts as the Syndicate, in consultation with the Chinese Ministers in London and Paris, may determine; and these bonds shall be sealed by the Minister for China in London or Paris respectively, as evidence that the Imperial Chinese Government is bound thereby.\n\n5. The Imperial Government of China hereby unconditionally guarantees and declares itself responsible for the due repayment of the principal moneys and interest of this loan, which is further hereby secured by the revenues of the Ya-li-ch'u, or Board of Reorganization for the collection of the shop tax and of the li-kin on general merchandize (excluding opium and salt) of the Province of Hupei, estimated to be 3,000,000 Kuping taels a-year. So long as principal and interest of the loan are regularly paid, there shall be no interference; but if the principal or interest of the loan are in default at due date, then the Syndicate shall be entitled, and shall be allowed by the Imperial Chinese Government, to appoint a European Commissioner to administer and control the collection of the revenues of the said Ya-li-ch'u in the interests of the bondholders, and the Imperial Chinese Government hereby engages that it will support and assist him in all legal measures to this end. When the loan, with principal and interest, has been fully redeemed, the powers of the said Commissioner shall cease.\n\nSterling tri-monthly or quarterly bonds on the revenues of the Ya-li-ch'u, equal in value altogether to the total amount of the principal and interest of the loan, sealed by the Viceroy of the Hukuang provinces and by the Treasurer of Hupei, and countersigned by the foreign Commissioner of Customs in Hankow, shall be deposited with the Hankow and Shanghae Banking Corporation and the Banque de l'Indo-Chine in Hankow. In the event of the money to meet a payment of interest or instalment of principal not being handed to the banks at due date as provided, these provincial revenue bonds shall become available for the payment of the assigned taxes and duties in the Province of Hupei, and the provincial authorities shall be instructed accordingly.\n\nSo long as this loan or any part thereof shall be unredeemed it shall have priority, both as regards principal and interest, over all future loans, charges, and mortgages charged on the said security of the shop tax and li-kin on general merchandize of the Province of Hupei. No loan, charge, or mortgage shall be raised or created which shall take precedence of or be on an equality with this loan, or which shall in any manner lessen or impair its security over the said revenues of the shop tax and li-kin on general merchandize of the Province of Hupei as stipulated above; and any future loan, charge, or mortgage charged on the said revenues shall be made subject to this loan, and it shall be so expressed in every Agreement for every such future loan, charge, or mortgage.\n\nIn the event of the Chinese Government during the currency of this loan entering upon definite arrangements for the revision of customs tariff, accompanied by stipulations for decrease or abolition of li-kin, it is hereby agreed on the one hand that such revision shall not be barred by the fact that this loan is secured by li-kin revenue; and on the other hand... \n\nPage 2622  \n[2622 m-1]",
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    {
        "id": 421314,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-360 - Public Offices - 1909",
        "page_number": 103,
        "title": "CO129-360 - Public Offices - 1909",
        "content_text": "# C.O.\n\nThis Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government 2 49101 \n\n## CHINA RAILWAYS.\n\nDecember 28, 1908\n\n**CONFIDENTIAL.**\n\n[45129]\n\n### No. 1.\n\n#### SECTION 1.\n\n**(No. 503.)** Sir, \n\nSir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey. (Received December 28.)\n\nPeking, November 7, 1908.\n\nI HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 428 of the 8th September last, in which you forwarded to me a note of a conversation which Mr. Langley had held with the French Chargé d'Affaires on the subject of railway construction in China, and a copy of the Memorandum which you had transmitted to the French Embassy in reply.\n\nYou desired me to furnish you with information as to the nature of the appointment which had been conferred upon Chang Chih-tung in connection with the Canton-Hankow Railway, and to the alleged change of attitude on the part of that statesman towards French participation in the loan to be raised for its construction.\n\nMy despatch No. 333 of the 21st July last, and the subsequent correspondence noted in the margin, will already have placed you in full possession of all the facts connected with this appointment, and of the steps which the Grand Secretary has taken towards giving effect to the task imposed upon him by the Throne.\n\nAn Imperial Decree, issued on the 28th October last, copy of which is inclosed, reiterates in a more direct and positive form the previous instructions, and shows clearly that the Central Government is earnestly determined to take the work out of the hands of the provincial authorities and carry it to completion as an Imperial undertaking.\n\nChang Chih-tung continues to maintain a telegraphic correspondence with the Wuchang authorities, and the inclosed despatch from His Majesty's Consul-General at Hankow, indicates the nature of the difficulties which he is experiencing in overcoming the provincial opposition to foreign loans, and in asserting the principle of State railway construction. The question will now be subjected to a practical test, as Mr. Bland, for whose return Chang Chih-tung has been waiting, arrived here a day or two ago, and is presumably prepared to enter into negotiations for a loan.\n\nAs regards the changed attitude of Chang Chih-tung towards French participation, I had the honour, in my telegram No. 45 of the 19th February last, to report the modification which, according to the French Minister, had taken place in his Excellency's views, and since then I have had no indication of his intentions beyond that contained in his telegram to Mr. Fraser of the 4th October, which formed a sub-inclosure in my despatch No. 457 of the 14th October. In that he stated that China could only recognize her obligation to the British lender, and invoked Mr. Fraser's assistance in dealing with the interference of other Powers. I do not, however, attach any very serious importance to this last declaration, and am inclined to think that China will in the end accept Anglo-French financial assistance for the Canton-Hankow Railway, just as she has done for the redemption of the Peking-Hankow line. But it would be premature, at the present stage, for me to volunteer any communication to the Chinese Government on the subject, and any such step is, I venture to submit, wholly unnecessary. The Chinese know perfectly well the nature of our engagements to the French, and the whole past history of the negotiations has shown them that, without French participation, they can conclude no loan of the kind with us. The French Legation and the agent of the Banque de l'Indo-Chine are fully aware that our engagements to them will be scrupulously observed, and that the Chinese must accept them as partners with us in the undertaking. But, in order to remove any possibility of doubt, I shall, as soon as the negotiations are reopened, take an opportunity of again reminding the Chinese Government that French participation is an indispensable condition of the loan.\n\nAs reported in my despatch No. 457, Confidential, of the 14th October last, M. Casenave showed some disposition to discuss the question independently with the Viceroy at Wuchang, but I hope that the French Minister will continue to adhere to the view (see my telegram No. 45 of the 19th February) that the leading part in the negotiations should be assigned to the agent of the British and Chinese Corporation. It is obviously desirable that the loan should be accompanied by some provisions governing construction, and the Agreement of the 9th September, 1905, which Chang Chih-tung professes his desire to observe, gives the British negotiator a lever for securing conditions which his French colleague is not in a position to claim.",
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    {
        "id": 422027,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909",
        "page_number": 56,
        "title": "CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909",
        "content_text": "## Minutes of Meeting held on March 12, 1909\n\nThe Exchange Committee considered the internationalization of future loans, but decided that they would be prepared to recommend it provided that the consent of the Paris market was first obtained. The Banque de l'Indo-Chine states that, if the internationalization of future loans were to be obtained in Paris, the expenses concerning stamp duty and publicity ought to be shared in common by the three parties.\n\n### Clause 6\nThe question of appointing a representative of one of the parties to conduct the negotiations with the Chinese Government was considered, and it was agreed that it should stand over for further consideration.\n\n### Clause 10 (a)\nThe question of the appointment of an Engineer-in-chief was considered at length, and it was not contested that in regard to this point the Engineer-in-chief to the Hankow-Canton Railway must be British, as provided in clause 7 (a) of the Addis Memorandum. Accordingly, it was proposed by the Corporation and the French group that, subject to the exclusion of the Hankow-Canton Railway and the Pookow-Sinyang Railway, all railway business in China should be shared in as nearly as possible equal terms by the three groups.\n\nThe matter was held over in order to allow the German group time to refer it to their Consortium in Berlin.\n\nThe Banque de l'Indo-Chine, as a condition of their approval of the present scheme, raised the question of being permitted to participate in the Agreement between the Hong Kong and Shanghae Banking Corporation and the Deutsch-Asiatische Bank of 1895 and 1905, and Mr. Addis and Herr Rehders undertook to refer this matter to the consideration of their respective Directors.\n\nThe meeting was then adjourned until the next morning.\n\n## Minutes of Adjourned Meeting held on March 13, 1909\n\nAll the above gentlemen were present. Mr. W. Keswick was in the Chair.\n\nThe draft Minutes of the meeting held on March 12, 1909, were read, considered, and approved in the terms above set forth and ordered to be printed for distribution and to be signed by the Chairman as correct.\n\nSigned as correct:\n(Signed) W. KESWICK, Chairman.\n\n## Memorandum of Agreement\n\nMade the ... day of ... 1909, between the British and Chinese Corporation (Limited), having its registered office at 3, Lombard Street, in the City of London (hereinafter called \"the Corporation\"), of the first part; Chinese Central Railways (Limited), having its registered office at 110, Cannon Street, in the said City (hereinafter called \"the Central Company\"), of the second part; the Banque de l'Indo-Chine, having its head office at 15 bis Rue Laffitte, Paris (hereinafter called \"the French Bank\"), of the third part; and the Deutsch-Asiatische Bank, having its head office at 14 to 16, Behrenstrasse, Berlin (hereinafter called \"the German Bank\") of the fourth part.\n\nWHEREAS by an exchange of notes the Governments of England and France have declared themselves opposed to the subjects of either country making loans to the Empire of China for railway purposes unless accompanied by suitable guarantees that the moneys will be devoted to the object for which the loan was ostensibly raised;\n\nAnd whereas the German Syndicate for Chinese business, hereinafter referred to, having been in negotiations with the Government of the Chinese Empire in competition with the Corporation and the French Syndicate in connection with Chinese business to which this Agreement relates, and being satisfied that the principle adopted by the Governments of England and France should be adopted on their behalf, also as affording the most beneficial and economical manner of providing sufficient security for the service of loans made by them have accordingly expressed their willingness to enter into a general Anglo-Franco-German understanding for the purpose of governing the action of the Corporation, and the French and German Syndicates in connection with the negotiations for and making to the Chinese Empire loans for railway purposes:\n\nNow it is hereby agreed by and between the parties hereto as follows:\n\n1. In the matter of this Agreement, the French bank is acting on behalf of the French Syndicate for Chinese business, consisting of the parties whose names are set forth in the first Schedule hereto, and the German bank is acting on behalf of the German Syndicate for Chinese business, consisting of the parties whose names are set forth in the second Schedule hereto.\n\n2. This Agreement relates to all loans and advances for railway purposes to be floated outside the Chinese Empire which may be made with the Chinese Imperial Government, but does not relate to loans to be floated within the Chinese Empire.\n\n3. Any business of the kind hereinbefore defined to which this Agreement relates which may be offered to either of the Contracting Parties of the first, third, and fourth parts (hereinafter jointly referred to as \"the lenders\") must be dealt with jointly by them in accordance with the stipulations of this Agreement, and any loans or advances to Government Departments and Companies for railway purposes and having Chinese Imperial or Provincial Government guarantees are to be treated in the same manner.\n\n4. As regards joint action in respect of financial operations for railway purposes not having such guarantees, special Agreements will have to be made in each separate case.\n\n5. This Agreement is made on the principle of equality, namely, equal terms in every respect between the lenders, and each of the lenders enters into this Agreement for their respective groups, and shall take an equal share in all operations and jointly sign all contracts, except as hereinafter provided, and shall bear in equal shares all charges in connection with any business (except charges of and connected with the realization by each of the lenders in their respective markets of their participation in the operations), and conclude all contracts with equal rights and obligations as between themselves. Provided always that in cases where the introduction of third parties is calculated to prejudice the success of the negotiations, any business falling within the scope of this Agreement may be entertained, and negotiations entered upon by either of the lenders alone with or without notice to the other lenders, and should it appear in the course of such negotiations that the conditions imposed upon the business preclude joint negotiations (and/or) joint signatures by the lenders in terms of this Agreement, the negotiating party may conclude and sign the Agreement and negotiations alone, but upon the terms of the other lenders being entitled to all rights of participation under this Agreement, other than those involving or arising from joint negotiation and joint signature, but it is understood that all the lenders will use their best endeavours to obtain the joint signatures to any contract wherever possible, except where for any reasons this is found to be impracticable when the party signing the contract shall, by the insertion of a special clause or execution of a separate declaration of trust, or otherwise, insure to the other lenders the same rights as regards the taking over, the issue, and service of the loan which it has obtained under the contract for itself, and also the authority required for obtaining official quotations in the respective markets of the said other parties.\n\n6. All contracts shall, so far as possible, be made so as not to impose joint liability on the lenders, but each of the parties to the said contracts shall severally liquidate its own engagements and liabilities towards the party of the other side in China. The parties to the said contracts will, so far as possible, come to an understanding with regard to the realization of the operations, but so that such realization, in whatever manner this may take place, shall be for the separate benefit of each of the lenders as regards their respective participations therein. It is also understood that, subject to other arrangements, a representative of the Corporation shall conduct the negotiations with the Chinese Imperial or Provincial authorities entered into in the joint interest of the parties hereto of the first, third, and fourth parts.\n\n7. In the event of either of the lenders declining a participation in any business proposed either at the outset or at any time during the course of the negotiations, the other lenders shall have the option of taking up and carrying out the business either jointly or, if only one takes up the business, separately on their or its respective accounts without becoming subject to the provisions of this Agreement.\n\nPage 3",
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    {
        "id": 422172,
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        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909",
        "page_number": 201,
        "title": "CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909",
        "content_text": "## Memorandum\n\n**(a.)** Spheres of interest not to be allowed; the railways in the Province of Shantung not to fall into the scope of the Agreement.\n\n**(b.)** Chief Engineers to be appointed alternately by the three groups, with the exception of the railway line Pukow-Sinyang-in which case the Chief Engineer shall be English--and the railway lines Techou-Chengtingfu and Yenchonfu-Kaifeng, in which cases the Chief Engineer shall be German.\n\n**(c.)** The position of the Peking representative of the German Syndicate in negotiations with Chinese authorities shall be in parity with the position of the representative of one or the other group.\n\n**(d)** An additional clause shall be inserted that all parties to both Agreements shall bind themselves not to be interested in any competing business within the scope of the Agreement without disclosure of such interest and the consent of the other parties thereto.\n\n**(e.)** As long as the first Agreement to be concluded remains in force, the Agreement made on the 30th June, 1898, between the Hong Kong and Shanghae Banking Corporation and the British and Chinese Corporation, cannot be cancelled or altered.\n\n**(f.)** Both Agreements shall not come into force before fulfilment of the conditions hereafter specified under No. 3.\n\n3. After conclusion of both Agreements, M. Cordes shall immediately be instructed to reopen negotiations for a modification of the preliminary Agreement for the Canton-Hankow Railway Loan, if necessary under assistance of the British, French, and German Legations in Peking, so that the provisions concerning the control over the employment of loan funds may be improved to Canton-Kowloon terms as a minimum.\n\nThe British and French groups will then be free to enter into the Canton-Hankow Agreement (Hunan and Hupeh sections), provided always that the Hankow-Chengtu Loan (Hupeh section) will be concluded simultaneously. The Chief Engineer for the former line shall then be appointed by the British group, but for the Hupeh section of the Hankow-Chengtu line the power of appointing the Chief Engineer rests under any circumstances with the German Syndicate.\n\n4. All efforts must be made by the three groups to the effect that the internationalization of all loans coming under both Agreements be ensured.\n\nIf necessary it can be granted that the expenses for stamp duty and publicity are shared in common by the three groups.\n\nThe time and notice of termination to be given for both Agreements should be twelve months instead of six months, and both Agreements should not terminate sooner than the 31st December, 1911.\n\nWe hope you will agree to continue the negotiations on these lines, and we shall be prepared to meet you and the other English and French friends in Brussels or Paris during the week commencing the 20th instant, but not before the 1st proximo.\n\n## Inclosure 2 in No. 1.\n\n## Agreement\n\nWe remain, &c.\nDeutsch-Asiatische Bank,\n(Signed) ERICH.\nREHDERS.\n\nMEMORANDUM of Agreement made the ... day of ... 1909, between the British and Chinese Corporation (Limited), having its registered office at 3, Lombard Street, in the City of London (hereinafter called \"the Corporation\") of the first part, Chinese Central Railways (Limited), having its registered office at 110, Cannon Street, in the said City (hereinafter called \"the Central Company\") of the second part, the Banque de l'Indo-Chine, having its head office at 15 bis, Rue Lafitte, Paris (hereinafter called \"the French Bank\") of the third part, and the Deutsch-Asiatische Bank, having its head office at 14 to 16, Bebrenstrasse, Berlin (hereinafter called \"the German Bank\") of the fourth part.\n\nWHEREAS by an exchange of notes the Governments of England and France have declared themselves opposed to the subjects of either country making loans to the Empire of China for railway purposes, unless accompanied by suitable guarantees that the moneys will be devoted to the object for which the loan was ostensibly raised.\n\nAnd whereas the German Syndicate for Chinese business hereinafter referred to having been in negotiations with the Government of the Chinese Empire in competition with the Corporation and the French Syndicate in connection with Chinese business to which this Agreement relates, and being satisfied that the principle adopted by the Governments of England and France should be adopted on their behalf, also as affording the most beneficial and economical manner of providing sufficient security for the service of loans made by them have accordingly expressed their willingness to enter into a general Anglo-Franco-German understanding for the purpose of governing the action of the Corporation and the French and German Syndicates in connection with the negotiations for and making to the Chinese Empire loans for railway purposes.\n\nNow it is hereby agreed by and between the parties hereto as follows:\n\n1. In the matter of this Agreement the French Bank is acting on behalf of the French Syndicate for Chinese business consisting of the parties whose names are set forth in the First Schedule hereto, and the German Bank is acting on behalf of the German Syndicate for Chinese business consisting of the parties whose names are set forth in the Second Schedule hereto.\n\n2. This Agreement relates to all loans and advances for railway purposes to be floated out of the Chinese Empire, which may be made with the Chinese Imperial Government, but does not relate to loans to be floated within the Chinese Empire.\n\n3. Any business of the kind hereinbefore defined to which this Agreement relates, which may be offered to either of the contracting parties of the first, third, and fourth parts (hereinafter jointly referred to as \"the lenders\") must be dealt with jointly by them in accordance with the stipulations of this Agreement, and any loans or advances to Government Departments and Companies for railway purposes and having Chinese, Imperial, or Provincial Government guarantees are to be treated in the same manner.\n\n4. As regards joint action in respect of financial operations for railway purposes not having such guarantees special Agreements will have to be made in each separate case.\n\n6. This Agreement is made on the principle of equality, namely, equal terms in every respect between the lenders, and each of the lenders enters into this Agreement for their respective groups, and shall take an equal share in all operations, and jointly sign all contracts, except as hereinafter provided, and shall bear in equal shares all charges in connection with any business (except charges of and connected with the realization by each of the lenders in their respective markets of their participation in the operations), and conclude all contracts with equal rights and obligations as between themselves.\n\nProvided always that in cases where the introduction of third parties is calculated to prejudice the success of the negotiations any business falling within the scope of this Agreement may be entertained and negotiations entered upon by either of the lenders alone, with or without notice to the other lenders, and should it appear in the course of such negotiations that the conditions imposed upon the business preclude joint negotiations and (or) joint signatures by the lenders in terms of this Agreement, the negotiating party may conclude and sign the Agreement and negotiations alone, but upon the terms of the other lenders being entitled to all rights or participation under this Agreement other than those involving or arising from joint negotiation and joint signature, but it is understood that all the lenders will use their best endeavours to obtain the joint signatures to any contract wherever possible, except where for any reasons this is found to be impracticable, when the party signing the contract shall by the insertion of a special clause or execution of a separate declaration of trust, or otherwise insure to the other lenders the same rights as regards the taking over the issue and service of the loan which it has obtained under the contract for itself, and also the authority required for obtaining official quotations in the respective markets of the said other parties.\n\n6. All contracts shall, so far as possible, be made so as not to impose joint liability on the lenders, but each of the parties to the said contracts shall severally liquidate its own engagements and liabilities towards the party of the other side in China. The parties to the said contracts will, so far as possible, come to an understanding with regard to the realization of the operations, but so that such realization...",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909.txt",
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    {
        "id": 428323,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910",
        "page_number": 248,
        "title": "CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910",
        "content_text": "This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government,\n\nCHINA RAILWAYS.\n\nCONFIDENTIAL.\n\nNo. 1.\n\nReceived: REGP 18 FEB 10\n\n[January 20.]\n\nSECTION 2.\n\nSir,\n\nBoard of Trade to Foreign Office.-(Received January 20.)\n\nBoard of Trade, January 19, 1910.\n\nI AM directed by the Board of Trade to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 30th November, on the subject of the preferential rates accorded to French goods on the Yunnan Railway, and asking for an expression of the views of the Board as to the existence of any grounds for approaching the French Government with regard to this matter.\n\nIn reply I am to state that the Board attach importance, as a question of principle, to the maintenance of equality of treatment for all goods, whatever their country of origin, carried on railways within the Chinese Empire, and also to the full preservation of the rights accorded to this country by article 4 of the Anglo-French declaration of 1896, relating to Szechuan and Yunnan. In the present case, the Board doubt if the matter referred to in your letter under reply is of sufficient practical importance to British trade to render formal representations to the French Government necessary. They therefore suggest that the case might be met by informing the French Government that the attention of His Majesty's Government has been called to the differentiation, and that while they refrain from raising objection in this particular case, they trust that it will not be made a precedent for similar action elsewhere, as they would regard any such differentiation against British trade as inconsistent with the general principle of equality of treatment affirmed in article 4 of the agreement referred to above.\n\nI have, &c.\n\nGEO. J. STANLEY.",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910.txt",
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    },
    {
        "id": 428330,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910",
        "page_number": 255,
        "title": "CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910",
        "content_text": "કે \n\n(2.) \n\nCopy of telegram from Peking to London, January 10, 1910. \n\nAdvise the following to British and Chinese Corporation from E. G. Hillier :- Shanghae-Hangchow-Ningpo Railway. In order to assist director-general force submission of provincial bureaux, would you be prepared, at the request of Chinese Government, to apply for order of court to allow transfer of loan funds construct proposed new railway Kai-feng-fu-Hsu-Chou-fu, about 200 miles? Security and other terms loan agreement remaining in force and funds already withdrawn to be replaced. Foregoing telegraphed at request of director-general, who is very anxious put an end to present situation, but desires to be assured of practicability of alternative scheme in case of need. \n\nWe strongly commend to your support. Inform Foreign Office. Telegraph reply as soon as possible. \n\n481853 \n\n[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.] \n\nCHINA RAILWAYS. \n\nCONFIDENTIAL. \n\nRed 18 FEB 10 \n\n[January 29.] \n\nSECTION 1. \n\n(2232) \n\n(No. 55.) \n\nNo. 1. \n\nSir Edward Grey to Sir F. Bertie. \n\nSir, \n\nForeign Office, January 29, 1910. WITH reference to Mr. Consul Carlisle's despatch No. 2, Commercial, of the 20th May last respecting the French railway running through French Indo-China from Laokai to Yunnan-fu, copy of which was sent to you in print, I now transmit to your Excellency the accompanying copy of a further despatch from that officer dealing with the question of discrimination on the part of the railway authorities in favour of French or Indo-French goods.* \n\nAs, however, it was not clear whether preferential rates were accorded to goods of this character on the whole of the line, or only on that part of the line which was within French territory, Mr. Carlisle was requested to report on the matter. A further despatch from him (copy enclosed)† which crossed this instruction left no doubt that the preferential rates did in fact apply to the whole line, and the information was fully confirmed by Mr. Carlisle's despatch No. 6 of the 14th October, copy of which is also enclosed, which stated that preferential rates were accorded to goods of French and Indo-French Chinese origin dispatched from Haiphong or Hanoi on the French portion of the line to Mongtze, the then terminus of the Yunnan Railway and well within Chinese territory, and that they would apply to goods dispatched to Yunnan-fu, the eventual terminus, as soon as traffic was opened to that place. Mr. Carlisle added that the rates in question were only in force until the 1st July, 1910, on which date they, as well as the system of rebates referred to in his despatch No. 1 of the 10th July, would be liable to revision. \n\nCopies of this correspondence were sent to the Board of Trade, who were asked to furnish their views as to the existence of any grounds on which the matter could be brought to the notice of the French Government with a view to endeavouring to obtain the removal of the preferential rate. \n\nYour Excellency will observe from the Board's reply, copy of which is enclosed,§ that, while attaching importance, as a question of principle, to the maintenance of equality of treatment for all goods, whatever their country of origin, carried on railways within the Chinese Empire, and also to the full preservation of the rights accorded to this country by article 4 of the Anglo-French declaration of 1896 relating to Szechuan and Yunnan, they doubt whether in the present case the matter is of sufficient practical importance to British trade to render formal representations to the French Government necessary. They therefore suggest that the case might be met by informing the French Government that the attention of His Majesty's Government has been called to the differentiation, and that, while they refrain from raising objection in this particular case, they trust that it will not form a precedent for similar action elsewhere, as they would regard any such differentiation against British trade as inconsistent with the general principle of equality of treatment affirmed in article 4 of the agreement referred to above. \n\nI should be glad if your Excellency would, when a suitable opportunity arises, make an unofficial communication to the French Government in this sense. \n\nI enclose for your Excellency's information a short memorandum which has been drawn up in this department dealing with the earlier phases of the question at Peking. \n\nI am, &c. \n\nE. GREY. \n\n* Consul Carlisle, No. 1, Confidential, July 10, 1909. \n\nConsul Carlisle, No. 3, October 2, 1909. \n\n§ Board of Trade, January 19, 1910. \n\nConsul Carlisle, No. 6, October 14, 1909. \n\nMemoranduma. \n\n[2581 -1]",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910.txt",
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    },
    {
        "id": 429080,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910",
        "page_number": 421,
        "title": "CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910",
        "content_text": "[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]\n\nCHINA RAILWAYS.\n\nCONFIDENTIAL.\n\n23223\n\nRECO REGE 28 JUL 10\n\n[July 11.]\n\nSECTION 2.\n\n418\n\n[24956]\n\n(No. 265.) Sir,\n\nNo. 1.\n\nSir F. Bertie to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received July 11.)\n\nParis, July 9, 1910.\n\nI HAVE the honour to inform you that, in accordance with the instructions contained in your despatch No. 55 of the 29th January last, an unofficial communication was made to the political director of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs respecting the preferential rates which are accorded to goods of French and Indo-French Chinese origin dispatched from Haiphong or Hanoi to stations on the Yunnan Railway within Chinese territory.\n\nI have the honour to transmit herewith copy of the memorandum left with M. Bapst, together with copy of a note which I have received from M. Pichon, stating that the matter has been brought to the notice of the Minister for the Colonies, who has instructed the Governor-General of Indo-China and the railway company concerned to examine the question in the most friendly spirit.\n\nI have, &c. (For the Ambassador),\n\nL. D. CARNEGIE.\n\nEnclosure 1 in No. 1.\n\nMemorandum communicated to M. Bapst by Mr. Carnegie.\n\nTHE attention of His Majesty's Government has been called to the preferential rates which are accorded to goods of French and Indo-French Chinese origin dispatched from Haiphong or Hanoi in Indo-China to Mongtze, and to the present terminus of the Yunnan Railway, both of which places are well within Chinese territory. These preferential rates are also to apply to similar goods dispatched to Yunnan-fu, the eventual terminus of the line, as soon as traffic is opened to that town. His Majesty's Government cannot admit that such treatment should form a precedent for similar action elsewhere, as they would regard such differentiation against British trade as inconsistent with the general principles of equality of treatment affirmed in article 4 of the Anglo-French Declaration of 1896.\n\nParis, February 17, 1910.\n\nEnclosure 2 in No. 1.\n\nM. Pichon to Sir F. Bertie,\n\nM. l'Ambassadeur,\n\nParis, le 3 juillet, 1910.\n\nPAR un office en date du 17 février dernier, votre Excellence a bien voulu signaler à mon attention la mise en application sur le Chemin de Fer du Yunnan, d'un tarif de transport des marchandises qui serait de nature à nuire aux intérêts britanniques.\n\nJe n'ai pas manqué de faire part à mon collègue, M. le Ministre des Colonies, des objections soulevées par le Gouvernement britannique contre ce tarif, et M. Trouillot vient de m'aviser qu'il a donné des instructions pour que la question soit signalée à la compagnie du chemin de fer et au Gouverneur général de l'Indo-Chine, afin qu'elle soit étudiée dans le sentiment le plus amical.\n\nAgréez, &c.\n\n(Pour le Ministre et par autorisation),\n\nEDMOND BAPST.\n\n(2813 1-2)",
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    },
    {
        "id": 429279,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910",
        "page_number": 16,
        "title": "CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910",
        "content_text": "Referring to the third paragraph of your letter of the 16th ultimo, and to the position of the Russian Government as therein stated, my committee would respectfully observe that by asserting a right of participation in the Hankow-Canton and Szechuan Railway loans, the Russian Government in effect proclaimed and admitted that the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1899 had ceased to be effective. That claim, together with the declaration of the Portsmouth Treaty, which states \"that Russia has not in Manchuria any territorial advantages, or preferential or exclusive concessions, in impairment of Chinese sovereignty, or inconsistent with the principle of equal opportunity,\" would appear to justify reconsideration of the situation created by that convention, seeing that it is put forward as conflicting with the commercial development of the country.\n\nMy committee recognise the complex nature of the whole situation, but they believe that by firmly upholding the principle of equal opportunity at this juncture, greater complications in the future may be avoided.\n\nI have, &c.\n\nF. ANDERSON, Chairman.\n\n[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]\n\nAFFAIRS OF CHINA.\n\nCONFIDENTIAL.\n\n[29460]\n\nNo. 1.\n\n21913\n\n[August 14.]\n\nRECEIVED SECTION 28 SEP 10,\n\nMr. Max Müller to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received August 15.)\n\n(No. 245.) Sir,\n\nWITH reference to my despatch No. 181 of the 2nd June, I have the honour to report that a decree of yesterday's date announced that Liang Tun-yen, on the expiration of his two months' leave, had been allowed to vacate his office as President of the Wai-wu Pu in order to recuperate his health, but that on his restoration to health he is again to be employed.\n\nTsou Chia-lai, Hu Wei-te, and Tsao Ju-lin are respectively gazetted to the substantive posts of president, senior vice-president, and junior vice-president, in which capacities they were previously acting.\n\nLiang Tun-yen's departure is a distinct loss to the Wai-wu Pu, and still more to the diplomatists who have to visit the Wai-wu Pu. Whatever his shortcomings may have been, judged from a European standpoint, he was far the easiest member of the Board for us to transact business with. He spoke English perfectly, was thoroughly acquainted with the current business of his office, and was able to seize the point of an argument without having it repeated ten times. He has of course been for a long time anxious to escape from the drudgery of his office and from the ambiguous position he occupied, bearing the brunt of the foreign diplomatists' displeasure, and at the same time having no great influence on the actions or discussions which called forth that displeasure. Still his departure, whatever the cause, loss of \"face,” sickness, the opium habit, or merely a desire to be out of office, is a real loss.\n\nThe Foreign Board consists of five members. Prince Ch'ing is seventy-five years old, and practically never comes to the Wai-wu Pu, though he is still the principal factor in the conduct of foreign affairs. Natung is a grand councillor, and therefore has many other duties to attend to. It is not always easy to see him, but he is quick to follow an argument, and, owing to his position on the Grand Council, can give an authoritative answer. Tsou Chia-lai is the terror of the foreign diplomatist, and personally I would sooner leave the Wai-wu Pu and return another day than attempt to discuss anything but the simplest questions with him. He looks at you with an expressionless eye, while the other is fixed on some object the other side of the room, and nothing appears to penetrate his skull, but whether his stupidity is real or assumed I cannot say; anyhow, the effect is equally irritating at a long interview.\n\nMr. Hu Wei-te, the new senior vice-president, was educated in Shanghai and America, has been twice at the legation in London, and many years Minister, first in St. Petersburgh and then in Tokyo. He talks French and English, and is very European in his habits and manner of living. It is difficult, however, to transact business with him, as he is still unacquainted with the various questions which we are constantly treating with the Wai-wu Pu, and is unwilling to take upon himself the slightest responsibility. With Tsao Ju-lin I am not acquainted as yet, either officially or socially.\n\nI have, &c.\n\nW. G. MAX MÜLLER.\n\n[2862 p-2]",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910.txt",
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    },
    {
        "id": 440043,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "CO129-394 - Governor Sir May & Public Offices - 1912 [12]",
        "page_number": 535,
        "title": "CO129-394 - Governor Sir May & Public Offices - 1912 [12]",
        "content_text": "certificate shewing that he has \n\nsatisfied the authorities of the School with regard to his regularity of attendance, progress, and proficiency, or in the event of his failing to take up his appointment or relinquishing it within three years of the date of his arrival in the Colony for any other reason than mental or physical infirmity. The form of this agreement should be similar to that which is prescribed in section 121 of the Colonial Regulations relating to the cost of passages.\n\nHis address is \n\nI am,\n\nGentlemen,\n\nYour most obedient Servant,\n\nFRANCIS J. S. HOPWOOD.\n\nThe Crown Agents for the Colonies.\n\nThe Opium Convention.\n\nThe Opium Convention recently signed at The Hague marks an advance in international legislation, in so far that, for the first time, the Powers chiefly concerned have definitely recognized, in principle, their several and collective responsibilities for the prevention of vices arising from the abuse of opium, morphine, and other similar drugs, and have given their assent to measures to be hereafter devised for the regulation of the trade in these drugs. The wording of the Convention, in its final form, clearly reflects the difficulties which beset international legislation on questions complicated by racial and commercial differences; many of its clauses constitute, for the present, little more than a declaration of good intentions, which will require for their fulfilment, first, adherence, and later, separate legislation, by all nations.\n\nArticles 12 and 13, for instance, which more than any others affect the immediate interests of Great Britain and her Colonies, bind the contracting Powers to use their best endeavours to restrict to persons duly authorized the importation and exportation of morphine, cocaine, and their respective salts. The authoritative French text of these Articles says \"Les Puissances Contractantes s'efforceront\"—this wording represents the compromise finally accepted to meet two difficulties in which the German delegates were placed by the fact that, although plenipotentiaries, they were unable to pledge the German Government and the Reichstag to future legislation, which are, properly, matters for the separate States of the Empire.\n\nArticle 13 emphasizes the fact (which has impressed itself more and more clearly on the Conference as it came down to logical conclusions) that for practical purposes the value of its labours must depend upon the adherence of all nations. It would undoubtedly have simplified matters had it been possible to bring together, in addition to the twelve Powers which here actually signed the Convention, representatives of those thirty-four other Powers which the Government of the Netherlands is now inviting to subscribe; but the practical difficulties would have been enormously increased.\n\nIt is understood that the Government of the United States has undertaken to approach the several Governments of the North American Republics to secure their adherence and co-operation, and it is hoped that the signature of the Convention by delegates of all nations will have been secured by the end of the current year.\n\nArticle 23 provides that, if at that date all the Powers addressed have not signed, then the Dutch Government shall invite all those which have done so to send delegates to The Hague to consider the possibility of ratifying the Convention notwithstanding. In Article 24 it is laid down that \"in the event of questions arising in regard to ratification, or to the carrying into effect of the Convention itself, or of the laws, regulations, and measures resulting therefrom, the Dutch Government will (others failing) invite all the contracting Powers to appoint delegates, who shall meet at The Hague, to come to an immediate understanding on these questions.\" There is therefore good reason for thinking that the Opium Conference has not said good-bye, but au revoir, at The Hague.\n\nThe wording of Article 7, dealing with the Turkish opium as distinct from raw opium, interests us corrupt world of good intentions. The first cause of the Shanghai Conference of 1909 was the desire of the civilized world to support the anti-opium movement in China. The abolition of the smuggling bases at Hong Kong and Macao as in the Straits was obviously necessary to make that support effective. Great Britain, acting for India and the Far Eastern Colonies, has done everything in this direction that altruism and morality could demand; but the interests of Macao, as a preparing and smuggling depôt for opium, are not yet definitely abandoned.\n\nArticle 7 reads: \"The contracting Powers will prohibit the import and export of prepared opium; those, however, which are not yet ready to prohibit shall do so as soon as possible.\" It is true that the \"unready\" countries pledge themselves in the next Article to control it under protective regulations, but the fact remains that no regulations can effectively control the Kwang-tung opium traffic so long as a convenient base of supply remains open to smugglers.\n\nThe immediate interest of the Convention for Great Britain and Far Eastern Colonies lies in the measures hereafter to be adopted for controlling the rapidly increasing traffic in morphine and cocaine. By the terms of the Anglo-Chinese Agreement of 1907, modified in May of last year, China obtained a free hand to terminate, en bloc or by provinces, the trade in Indian opium pari passu with her own suppression of poppy cultivation. The fortunes of the anti-opium movement in China, therefore, for the future depend upon that country alone.\n\nWhatever China may or may not do, we may safely assume that the contemplated cessation of the Indo-Chinese opium trade is final. The present Convention embodies the latest manifestations of Chinese activities for the suppression of opium smuggling and smoking, as well as the sympathetic acquiescence of the Treaty Powers in their proposals—conditional, however, in some degree of fulfilment.\n\nSome of these proposals are evidently impracticable for many years to come, and the attitude of the Powers in regard to them is, therefore, of necessity cautious. Article 15, for instance, states that the Chinese Government will impose Pharmacy laws on its subjects to regulate the sale and distribution of morphine, cocaine, and it is agreed that the Treaty Powers will in due course consider these laws, and, if found acceptable, will take the measures necessary to impose them upon their nationals resident in China.\n\nBut people which has declined to pay a ricksha tax in Peking or a stamp duty in the provinces is not likely to take these Pharmacy laws any more seriously than the thousand-and-one paper regulations with which the bureaucracy busies themselves in vain.\n\nIt remains an undeniable fact, of recent experience, that the south of the bureaucracy opium pits trade in China has been largely due to official enterprise. One must not forget the uncertain tenure of leadership in China and the chronic need of the local governments for money.\n\nThere were unpleasant reminders of these things on more than one occasion of the recent Conference, notably in a communicated report to the effect that, during the disorders caused by the Revolution, many opium dens and divans have been reopened in the native city of Shanghai, where their trade flourishes the more because all such establishments have been closed by the authorities of the Foreign Settlements.\n\nThe Times\n\nFeb 14th 1912\n\nKeep this for\n\n524\n\nwith Opium papers",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-394 - Governor Sir May & Public Offices - 1912 [12].txt",
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    {
        "id": 441261,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "CO129-397 - Public Offices & Others - 1912",
        "page_number": 25,
        "title": "CO129-397 - Public Offices & Others - 1912",
        "content_text": "## MARINE DEPARTMENT\n### APR 12\n\n7, WHITEHALL GARDENS,  \nLONDON, S.W.  \n11th April, 1912.\n\n**Sir,**\n\nWith reference to your letter of the 23rd March (No. `7812/1912`) transmitting copy of a despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong on the subject of the Steam Ship \"**Paul Beau**\", I am directed by the Board of Trade to state, for the information of Mr. Secretary Harcourt, that they are of opinion that in view of the Agreement arrived at in 1907 between the Governments of the United Kingdom and France for the mutual recognition of the laws and regulations for the safety of shipping and the certificates of passenger steamships, the best course to adopt in the circumstances set forth in the correspondence accompanying the Governor's letter of the 5th of February last, is to confirm the provisional certificate issued to the S.S. \"**Paul Beau**\" authorising her to carry 1,200 passengers.\n\nIn the event of such a certificate being withheld, it appears that the French Consul would be able to summon a Court of Survey, and grant a \"permis de navigation\" for the Special Service, which, in view of the Anglo-French agreement, the Hong Kong authorities would be compelled to recognise. As they would thus lose control over the vessel, so far as its survey is concerned, it appears to the Board of Trade that it is the case for the Jameson ... to compete with it.\n\nIt is true that they will win, although this declaration is subject to the provisions of Section 10(2)(4). The Certificate under Section 10 will not be possible, and it will not be possible for them to attain exactly the same Certificate. Some ... might have to be struck out.\n\nAny further communication should be addressed to:  \n**THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY, (MARINE DEPARTMENT)**, and the following letter and number should be quoted :-  \n`M. 8318.`  \nTelegraphic Address, `BOARD TRADE, MARINE, LONDON.`  \nReference: `11017`\n\nThe Under Secretary of State,  \nColonial Office,  \nS.W.\n\nPage 24  \nCir. `19/4`  \nByn... alome Md. 18",
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    },
    {
        "id": 460376,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "CO129-431 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [1-2]",
        "page_number": 509,
        "title": "CO129-431 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [1-2]",
        "content_text": "1771\n\nprovince of Chekiang of exorbitant taxes United States mer- upon British and chandise; and, if so, what was the nature of such inerchandise?\n\nSir E. Grey: His Majesty's Minister and the United States Minister at Peking recently protested against illegal taxation in the Province of Chekiang. I am not aware of the nature of the merchandise which was subject to this taxation.\n\nMr. T. C. Taylor: Will the right hon. gentleman kindly make enquiries?\n\nSir E. Grey: I do not think it necessary to make any enquiry into that particular detail of merchandise. Perhaps it would satisfy my hon. friend if I told him I have ascertained that there is no question of these goods having anything to do with opium, and this particular province is closed to opium.\n\nMr. T. C. Taylor asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state whether the British Minister in Peking re- cently threatened to send a British war vessel up the Yangtze River, and, if so, for what reason?\n\nSir E Grey: The answer to this question, so far as I am aware, is in the negative.\n\n66\n\nMr. T. C. Taylor asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether a British Consul has had occasion recently to pay a visit of remonstrance to the Governor of the province. of Anhui, in China; and, if so, why?\n\nSir E. Grey His Majesty's Consul at Wuhu was recently sent to Anking to re- monstrate with the Governor on the subject of illegal taxation in Anhui similar to that which had been imposed in Chekiang.\n\nTuesday, 28th July, 1914- WIRELESS TELEGRAPH SCHEME,\n\nMr. Walter Guinness asked the Secre- tary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to an announce- ment from Shanghai that a complete chain of Telefunken wireless stations is in process of completion in China; whether he is aware that the Chinese Government had intended to authorise Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company to issue £2,000,000 Chinese Bonds in payment of Marconi Wireless stations in China on the basis of a formal contract; whether he can state which of these two companies is to receive the wireless privileges in China; and what steps he can take to protect the interests of Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company, with which Government is in contractual relationship?\n\nSir E. Grey I have seen the announce- ment referred to by the hon. member, and am aware that a preliminary understanding of the nature described was entered into between the Marconi Company and the Chinese Minister of Finance. The Company have been informed that His Majesty's Government are prepared to afford them such support as they properly can, and the Company will no doubt apply for support whenever they consider it necessary. have, however, no information as to which of the two companies is to receive the wireless privileges of China.\n\n1\n\nMr. W. Guinness: Will the two contracts compete in any way?\n\nSir E. Grey: I cannot say.\n\nMr. King: Is full value in the stations which are being erected being given for this loan of £2,000,000.\n\nSir E. Grey: That is a matter if I understand my hon, friend's question rightly -between the Chinese Government and the people with whom they are making the contract. I understand the particular question to be whether, if there is competition between a British company and a foreign company, the British company will receive diplomatic support such as is usually given, and that question I have answered.\n\nThursday, 18th February, 1915.\n\nFAR EASTERN WAR CLAIMS.\n\nSir William Bull asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether there was any understanding between the four great Allied Powers regarding the time at which and the method in which all the Far-Eastern claims arising out of the war were to be put forward for international settlement; and, if so, could he indicate its nature.\n\nSir Edward Grey: An agreement was signed in London on Sept. 5th, 1914, between the British, French, and Russian Govern- ments, and was published in the Press at the time, to the effect that the three Powers mutually engaged not to conclude peace separately during the present war. They also agreed that when terms of peace come to be discussed no one of the Allies will demand terms of peace without the previous agreement of each of the other Allies. Article 2 of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance has the same effect, and therefore unites all four Powers for the purpose named in the question.\n\nMonday, 22nd February, 1915.\n\nFOODSTUFFS AS ABSOLUTE CONTRABAND.\n\nLord C. Beresford asked the Prime Minister whether the British Government would immediately place all food and raw material used to foster German industries on the list of absolute contraband of war; and whether he would consider the possibility, in order to make this declaration more powerful, of sending a joint Note from the Allies, France, Russia, Japan, and Great Britain, all equally concerned in ending the war, stating their determination to enforce these stringent measures with a view of hastening the end of the war.\n\n67\n\nMr. Asquith The Allied Governments are considering what action it would be proper for them to take by way of reprisals against the German policy of attacking and destroying British, Allied, and neutral merchant vessels without warning, and without any attempt to save the lives of the civilian and innocent crews. Pending such decision, which I hope will very soon be announced, I can make no statement as to the nature and scope of the measures to be taken, or the form in which they may be made public.\n\nLord C. Beresford: Will it be a joint Note, or a Note specially from Great Britain?\n\nMr. Asquith I cannot yet say that. There will certainly be a Note from Great Britain, and I hope there will be a joint Note,\n\nThursday, 18th February, 1915,\n\nJAPANESE DEMANDS ON CHINA.\n\nMr. Gerard Stewart asked whether the British Government had received the text of the demands put forward by the Japanese Government to China.\n\nSir E. Grey: I am not at present in a position to communicate to the House the information on the subject which has been given to me confidentially by the Japanese Government.\n\nMr. Lynch asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he had been informed that, in view of the commercial advances of Japan and the claims put forward by that Power in China, apprehension\n\n506",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-431 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [1-2].txt",
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        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-451 - Public Offices - 1918",
        "page_number": 165,
        "title": "CO129-451 - Public Offices - 1918",
        "content_text": "# \n## 2\n\nMeanwhile, a further point has arisen. The French Minister, accompanied by the Japanese Minister, called upon me a few days ago and represented that as the payment of the German portion of the Anglo-German Loans of 1896 and 1898 out of Customs funds would now cease, the moment had come when the question of the distribution of Customs Revenue among the international banks should be reconsidered.\n\nAccording to the arrangement made in 1912, and recorded in Sir John Jordan's despatch No. 55 of the 30th January, 1912, the Customs Revenues, which are pledged to the service of the Franco-Russian Government Loan of 1895, the Anglo-German Government Loan of 1896, and the Anglo-German Government Loan of 1898, have been since that date paid into the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, the Deutsch-Asiatische Bank, and the Russo-Asiatic Bank at Shanghai as agents for the Governments interested.\n\nSince the rupture of relations with Germany, the German bank's share has been paid into the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, the latter now receiving two-thirds and the Russo-Asiatic Bank one-third of the money. In view of the extremely precarious position of the Russo-Asiatic Bank (mainly as a consequence of the fall in the value of the rouble and over-speculation) the Inspector-General of Customs is none too anxious to pay more funds than necessary into its care.\n\nThe above arrangement, amongst others out here, has no doubt been for a long time an object of jealousy to the French, and M. Conty sees the chance of getting some advantage out of the present situation. He had evidently enlisted the support of Baron Hayashi to endeavour to persuade me to agree that a redistribution of Customs Revenue among the banks, so as to include the Banque de l'Indo-Chine and the Yokohama Specie Bank, should be made a condition of the present release of these funds.\n\nI told my French and Japanese colleagues that there appeared to me to be no reason whatsoever for imposing any conditions to the release of the 2,000,000 taels now asked for. I said that I should in any case oppose their action on grounds of policy, and Baron Hayashi could but agree with me on that point.\n\nSir John Jordan's despatch No. 55 of the 30th January, 1912, will show that the Japanese Government reserved to themselves the right, at the time of the formation of the Bankers' Commission, to claim the inclusion of the Yokohama Specie Bank among the custodian banks at a future date. M. Conty accordingly reluctantly withdrew his suggestion, though he begged me to allow the question of redistribution to be considered on its own merits. I agreed to this so long as it was not to be in connection with the present release, but as one of the outcomes of the declaration of war and the consequent cessation of the activities of the German bank. Both Ministers accepted this arrangement, and they have now addressed notes to the Chinese Government in the above sense.\n\n## 3\n\n### Enclosure in No. 1\n\n#### ESTIMATE\n\n##### Obligations.\n(August 1 to December 31, 1917.)\n\n| Obligations | Sh. taels |\n| --- | --- |\n| Customs secured loans and indemnity | 13,065,669.98 |\n| Reorganisation loan (August-December) | 2,800,000.00 |\n| \" July instalment paid in cash.. | 524,912.50 |\n| Total obligations | 16,389,582.48 |\n\n##### Assets.\n(August 1 to December 31, 1917.)\n\n| Assets | Sh. taels |\n| --- | --- |\n| Net foreign revenue collection, cash balance | 10,829,678.04 |\n| Estimated net foreign revenue (five months, 2,400,000 Sh. taels) | 12,000,000.00 |\n| Native Customs Revenue (five months, 250,000 Sh. taels) | 1,230,000.00 |\n| La-kin cash.. | 650,000.00 |\n| Total assets | 24,709,678.04 |\n\n|  | Sh. taels |\n| --- | --- |\n| Total obligations | 16,389,582.48 |\n| Total assets | 24,709,678.04 |\n| Estimated surplus, December 31, 1917 | 8,320,095.56 |\n\nNote.-Average net foreign revenue collection for seven months, January to July 1917 | 2,905,800.41  \nAverage net native Customs Revenue collection for seven months, January to July 1917.. | 287,617.92  \nLes obligations as above  \n\nCopy to Tokyo.\n\nI have, &c.\n\nB. ALSTON.\n\nP.S.-Since the above was written the Italian Minister has consented to withdraw his opposition to the release and to make his claims the subject of a separate negotiation.\n\nB. A.\n\n162",
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        "id": 492962,
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        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-476 - Acting Governor Claud Severn & Governor Sir Stubbs - 1922 [8-12]",
        "page_number": 315,
        "title": "CO129-476 - Acting Governor Claud Severn & Governor Sir Stubbs - 1922 [8-12]",
        "content_text": "306\n\nTHE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.\n\nTHE BLUE FUNNEL LINE\n\nREGULAR AND FAST FREIGHT AND PASSENGER SERVICE.\n\nLONDON\n\nTEIRESIAS PELEUS ANTILOCHUS HYSON\n\nSERVICE (Direct)\n\n25th Sept. London, Amsterdam & Antwerp 2nd Oct. London, Rotterdam & Hamburg. 9th Oct. London, Amsterdam & Antwerp 16th Oct. London, Rotterdam & Antwerp\n\nLIVERPOOL SERVICE (Direct or via Continental Ports)\n\nKT. TEMPLAR TYDEUS OVESTES\n\n4th Oct. Marseilles, Havre & Liverpool 20th Oct. Genoa, Marseilles, Liverpool & Glasgow.\n\n4th Nov. Havre, Liverpool & Glasgow.\n\nPACIFIC SERVICE (via Kobe and Yokohama)\n\nTYNQAREUS PROTESILAUS\n\n17th Oct. Victoria, Seattle & Vancouver 7th Nov.\n\nNEW YORK SERVICE (via Suez or Panama)\n\nANTILOCHUS AGAMEMNON TEUCER TERESIAS PYRRHUS PYRRHUS\n\n5th Oct. via Suez 25th Oct. via Suez 15 Nov. via Suez\n\nPASSENGER SERVICE\n\n25th Sept. for Singapore & London 1st Nov for Shanghai & Japan 4th Nov. for Singapore & London\n\nFor Freight and Passage Rates and further information apply to :-\n\nBUTTERFIELD & SWIRE (JOHN SWIRE & SONS, LTD.) AGENTS.\n\nTHE EAST ASIATIC CO., LTD., COPENHAGEN.\n\nRegular Freight and Passenger Service for Bangkok, Hongkong, Swatow and return.\n\nS. S. \"BAKA\" Due S. S. \"BINTANG\" Will leave for Bangkok via Swatow\n\nSubject to change without notice.\n\nFor further particulars please apply to:-\n\nJOHN MANNERS & CO., Agents. CONSIGNEES.\n\nNOTICE TO CONSIGNEES.\n\nTHE ADMIRAL LINE.\n\nThe Steamship \"PRESIDENT MCKINLEY\" having arrived from Manila P. I on Sep. 21 consignees are hereby notified that their cargo is being landed at their risk into the Hazardous and/or Extra-Hazardous Godowns of The Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf & Godown Co., at Kowloon, and stored at consignees' risk.\n\nConsignees of cargo must produce an Import Permit signed by the Superintendent of Imports and Exports, Hongkong, before Bills of Lading will be counter-signed.\n\nFRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1922.\n\nEARLIER TELEGRAMS. (Continued from Page 3)\n\nTHE ALLIES AND TURKEY.\n\nParis, Sept. 21.\n\nAn account of the proceedings of the Foreign Ministers' Conference yesterday is contained in the semi-official statement which says that Lord Curzon expressed great astonishment at the fact that while the British had decided to reinforce her troops at Chanak, both France and Italy had resolved to withdraw their contingents from the south side of the Sea of Marmora.\n\nLord Curzon considered that the Franco-Italian decision hardly conformed with the agreements of 1915 and 1918, providing for partial Inter-Allied occupation of Turkish territory.\n\nM. Poincare regarded the agreements as being at present inapplicable, as no conflict was feared when the allocation of troops was provided thereunder. He added that French opinion would not permit French troops to act with the Greeks and he argued that if Chanak was held, the whole of the southern shore of the Sea of Marmora ought equally to be occupied.\n\nKemalists would entertain peace proposals.\n\nSignor Sforza, agreeing with M. Poincare, believed that the discussions on the acceptable basis of agreement cabled last night and which just then arrived.\n\nThe Conference decided, in principle, to hold a Peace Conference at Venice, but pointed out that Russia had not been invited as she was not directly interested, the Soviet-Angora Treaty specifically excluding Russian decisions affecting the sovereignty of Turkey and the security of Constantinople.\n\nM. Poincare further pointed out the military objection to the Allies fighting with their backs to the sea. He also pointed out the undesirable effect upon the Islamic world if Britain adopted an uncompromising or bellicose attitude.\n\nIt is semi-officially declared that the problem cannot be referred to the League of Nations as urged by Dr. Nansen and Dominion representatives, as it is a Government matter.\n\nThe document states that the Foreign Minister's decision marks a big step on the road to peace.\n\nAll broken, chafed and damaged cargo is to be left in the Godowns, where it will be examined at 10 a.m. on 26th inst., by the Company's Surveyors, Messrs. Anderson & Ashe.\n\nAll claims must be presented within thirty days of the steamer's arrival here, after which they cannot be recognized.\n\nNo claims will be recognised after the goods have left the Godowns, and cargo undelivered on and after Sept. 27th will be subject to rent.\n\nNo Fire Insurance whatever will be effected.\n\nConsignees are requested to send in their Bills of Lading for counter-signature immediately.\n\nPACIFIC STEAMSHIP CO., United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation, No. 4. Des Voeux Road, Managing Agents, THE ADMIRAL LINE. Hongkong, 21st. Sept., 1922.\n\n\"For the Blood is the Life.\"\n\nSufferers from Bad Legs, Abscesses, Ulcers, Piles, Glandular Swellings, Eczema, Boils, Pimples and Eruptions, Gout, Rheumatism, must realise that the only sure way to complete and lasting relief is to free the blood of the poisonous waste matter, the one cause of such troubles.\n\nClarke's Blood Mixture contains ingredients which soon overcome and expel the impurities, that's why so many lasting cures stand to its credit.\n\nTHE EAST ASIATIC CO., LTD. COPENHAGEN.\n\nThe M. S. \"INDIEN\" will be loading for Dunkirk, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Copenhagen & other Scandinavian Ports, about 1st October.\n\nFurther Sailings:-Expected on or about 4th October M. S. \"ASIA\" 15th October M. S. \"PANAMA\" 26th October M. S. \"MALAYA\" Subject to change without notice.\n\nFor further particulars please apply to:-\n\nJOHN MANNERS & CO., LTD. Agents. Hongkong, 22nd September, 1922.\n\nMRS. SEKAI MASSAGE\n\nTHE CANTON BANK, 2nd Floor, No. 2, DUDDELL ST. HONGKONG.\n\nSAVARESSE'S SANTAL CAPSULES\n\nFrom all Chemists The best internal treatment. Specially made in a way that prevents sickness or nausea. Physicians recommend them.\n\nTHE GRECO-EGYPTIAN TOBACCO CO. 12a, Queen's Road, Beg to announce to the general public the arrival of their new coffee roasting machine for the best quality Mocha and Java coffee, which can be had at the above address, Fresh Coffee roasted daily.\n\nA PERSIAN PROVERB: \"A cup of hot coffee without an Egyptian cigarette is like meat without salt.\"\n\nSimla, Sept. 21.\n\nTwenty-five Moslem Members of the Legislature have submitted their views on the Near East situation to the Viceroy, most earnestly and with the greatest moderation drawing his attention to the points on which it is considered Turkish peace ought to be based and which formed the subject of the Government of India's famous telegram of March 8, the unauthorised publication of which resulted in Mr. Montagu's resignation of the Secretaryship of India.\n\nThe Viceroy promised to lay their views before the Imperial Government.\n\nParis, Sept. 21. A message from Angora reports that the Turks altogether captured 60,000 Greeks.\n\nWellington (N.Z.), Sept. 21. There has been an immense response to the proposal for service in the Straits. Ten thousand New Zealanders yesterday alone offered themselves.\n\nConstantinople, Sept. 21. Hamid Bey, the Kemalist representative here, has informed a British correspondent that the Turks intend to cross the Dardanelles and enter Thrace, but will not fire on the Allies in crossing unless first attacked.\n\nWashington, Sept. 21. The Near East policy of the United States has been outlined at the White House.\n\nIt is stated that the United States will stand aloof in the event of trouble, except to provide adequately for the relief of American citizens endangered by the Turkish advance and to participate in any general programme of relief adopted by the European governments.\n\nTHE NEW AMERICAN TARIFF BILL.\n\nWashington, Sept. 21. The Treasury experts estimate that the new tariff under the Fordney-McCumber Bill, the measure when enacted, will yield about $100,000,000 annual revenue, half of which will be derived from the following sources, viz., sugar, $37,000,000; raw wool, $63,000,000; tobacco, $35,000,000; laces and embroideries, $15,000,000; while the average ad valorem rates will be slightly higher than the Payne-Aldrich Tariff.\n\nThey will in actual operation show an average slightly lower because some of the new duties will be inoperative owing to their height or the absence of imports of commodities they cover.\n\nPerhaps, the most notable feature of the Bill is the power given to the President, after investigation by the Tariff Commission, to increase or decrease any rate in the Bill by 50 per cent. if necessary, in order to set off the difference in the cost of production at home and abroad.\n\nThe President may also declare American valuations as the basis of an assessment of ad valorem duties.\n\nIt is estimated that this will automatically increase the rates about 100 per cent.\n\nAfter such declaration the President could reduce any duty by 50 per cent. but could not increase it.\n\nAlmost all infantile troubles arise in the first place from stomach and bowel troubles.\n\nTo remedy these conditions use Baby's Own Tablets.\n\nThese Tablets stand in a class by themselves, being especially made for children's use, pleasant in taste and guaranteed absolutely harmless.\n\nThey quickly reduce simple fever, cure indigestion, check diarrhoea, allay teething pains, expel worms, relieve croup and colds, quiet the nerves and promote health-giving, restful sleep in a natural way.\n\nBaby's Own Tablets are sold by chemists, or at 60 cents the vial, post free, from the Dr. Williams' Medicine Co., 96 Szechuen Road, Shanghai.\n\nVisitors always welcome a VICTROLA No Home complete without one.\n\nMCUTRIES:-Sole Agents.\n\nAIRSHIPS SUPPLANT CRUISERS.\n\nLondon, Sept. 21. The Admiralty has decided that the use of the airship in wartime shall become the first consideration of British airship policy, and its employment for Imperial communications the next.\n\nThis decision was influenced by figures in comparison with the cruiser, showing that the airship costing £250,000, compared with £900,000, is cheaper to navigate and able to cover seven times more area.\n\nSIAMESE TEAK TRADE.\n\nLondon, Sept. 21. As the May meeting of the Anglo-Siam Corporation is forthcoming, the issue of 22,000 ordinary shares of £50,000, 7%, preferences is announced.\n\nThe chairman's review considered the Siamese Government was insufficiently considering the interests of the teak trade in Siam.\n\nYEE SANG FAT CO. Just Arrived \"SWIMEASY\" Worsted and Wool BATHING SUITS for Ladies, Gentlemen and Children. Practical and Dressy Style Large Assortment of WATER WINGS Price $1.25 a pair\n\nGOLDEN STATE BUTTER From CALIFORNIA CREAMERIES. Sold by all the leading dealers in one pound cartons (FRESH)-and 1 lb. tins. SOLE AGENTS:--GEIZ BROS. & Co. of the Orient Ltd. PROVISION DEPT.\n\nTAI LEE CHAN Established 1884. SUNDRY HARDWARE and METAL GOODS Telephone Central 1993. 119. Jervois Street\n\nFRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS\n\nBY BLOSSER",
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    {
        "id": 512506,
        "series_id": 27,
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        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-507-1 Proposal to dispose of Boxer Indemnity funds- claim by Hong Kong university 21-12-1927 - 24-7-1928",
        "page_number": 140,
        "title": "CO129-507-1 Proposal to dispose of Boxer Indemnity funds- claim by Hong Kong university 21-12-1927 - 24-7-1928",
        "content_text": "settlement, in accordance with the arrangement made between the two Governments in April 1925 (p. 123). The instalments are in practice paid over by the Inspector-General of Customs to the Banque de l'Indo-Chine, as the French custodian bank, in Shanghai, and the usual indemnity receipt obtained. The amount in question is then handed back in the form of a gold dollar draft to the Commissioner of Customs at Shanghai, who gives a formal receipt for it, and he in turn hands it on to the Banque de Commerce et l'Industrie, the successor to the Banque Industrielle de Chine, or franco-chinoise pour l'Industrie, against their receipt. The money is then used for the service of the 4 per Cent Gold Dollar Loan raised in 1925, redeemable in twenty-three years, the bonds of which were handed to the Far Eastern creditors of the Banque industrielle in exchange for the \"bons de répartition\" issued to them by the bank when it closed its doors (p. 123). The ostensible object of this arrangement was to set the bank on its feet again under a new name, and it would be only natural to suppose that, once the bank was in a position to resume profit-making activities, at least a portion of such profits should be used to replace the funds thus borrowed from the indemnity. It is, however, doubtful if this was ever the serious intention of the French Government, and what the understanding between the Government and the bank really amounted to. As above stated, it is, at any rate, not known that any part of the indemnity instalments, at present released under the 1925 arrangement, is being used for educational or philanthropic purposes.\n\nBelgium.\n\n6. The existing state of affairs in regard to the Belgian indemnity payments was fully described in my despatch No. 2215 of the 15th December last. It was shown in that despatch that the Sino-Belgian Indemnity Commission (p. 125) had not yet been formed, but that an agreement had very recently been reached between the Belgian and Chinese Governments stipulating, it was understood, for the establishment of such a commission, and for the employment of 25 per cent of the indemnity funds available for educational objects, while the remainder was to be used for the purchase of Belgian railway material.\n\nItaly.\n\n7. The arrangement with Italy, resulting from the gold franc controversy, was much the same as that made with Belgium (pp. 125-6), namely, that China had to pay Italy in a lump sum the balance of the principal of the Italian portion of the indemnity outstanding on the 1st December, 1927, in paper francs, and this amount was advanced by the Italian Bank for China at the end of 1925, on the condition that repayment should be made from the monthly instalments of the resumed indemnity payments as from the 1st January, 1926. As, however, Italy agreed to take the deferred payments at the close of the indemnity term, i.e., from 1941 to 1948, and did not insist on payment being made concurrently with the usual monthly instalments from January 1926, as Belgium had done, this advance is taking longer to refund. As soon as it is repaid to the bank, the monthly instalments will be paid over to a Sino-Italian Indemnity Commission to be used for philanthropic objects and for works of public utility, for which latter it was stipulated that Italian materials and a fixed proportion, 50 per cent, of Italian engineers should be employed. Nothing has yet been heard of the appointment of this commission, but it will presumably come into being when funds are available for it to distribute.\n\nRussia.\n\n8. Political events have rendered the disposal of the Russian share of the indemnity, by far the largest individual national portion, the most complicated part of this long story. To understand the present position, it is necessary to retrace very roughly the course of events in this connexion since 1917. In that year, when the various Powers agreed to defer for a period of five years the payment of their shares of the indemnity as the result of China's entry into the war, Russia only consented to a partial deferment, namely, that of her total share of 29 per cent of the whole indemnity, she would defer roughly a portion representing 10 per cent, while she retained for her own use an amount roughly equivalent to the remaining 19 per cent of the whole (p. 111). These titles \"deferred\" and \"retained\" have been used to indicate these separate payments ever since.\n\nPage 142\n\nPage 143\n\n5\n\n2\n\n17\n\n3\n\narrangement, the retained portion was payable to the Russian Treasury through the Russo-Asiatic Bank. The revolution supervened almost immediately, however, with the result that it was for some three years paid through the same bank to the Russian authorities of the old régime in Peking for the upkeep of their Legations and consulates, although at moments during this period the Chinese Government decided to withhold the payments, which were lodged temporarily in special accounts in the Bank of China and the Bank of Communications. In 1920, this arrangement was finally cancelled, and the Chinese Government began using the money for its own so-called special purposes. It was agreed, on the suggestion of the Inspector-General, that it should be used from January 1922 for the service of the third and fourth year domestic loans (see Appendix 5, p. 223), while under the Consolidated Debt Regulations, sanctioned by presidential mandate of the 13th March, 1921 (p. 113), it was arranged that this retained portion should, on the retirement of these two loans, be similarly used for the redemption (only) of the fifth and seventh year long-term loans. The drawing of the bonds of the third and fourth year loans is now completed, and provision for their payment in full has been made from these retained indemnity funds; that of the fifth year loan will be finished next year, when the seventh year loan redemption payments begin and will continue till 1937. There will thus be little money available from this source for some time to come.\n\n9. The situation is, however, different in regard to the deferred portion of the Russian indemnity. This portion was first of all used, with all the other deferred indemnities (p. 113), for the service of the seventh year short-term bond issue, and on the retirement of that issue in November 1922, when the five-year deferment period ended, it was pledged as security for other loans, i.e., the eleventh year short-term loan (to run from November 1922 to November 1927), a Treasury note issue for 5 million dollars in 1923 for the upkeep of Chinese Legations and consulates abroad, and for a similar issue in 1924 for 1 million dollars for the eight higher Government institutions in Peking. The money was thus pledged on China's initiative alone, before any negotiations between the Chinese and Soviet Governments on the subject had begun. By the Declaration V, however, attached to the Sino-Soviet Agreement of the 31st May, 1924, the Soviet Government agreed to renounce Russia's share of the indemnity, and recognised the validity of these various dispositions of that share. It was also agreed thereby to appoint a special commission, consisting of one Russian and two Chinese, to administer for educational purposes the funds available from the waived indemnity after these various prior obligations had been satisfied. The balances available from the deferred portion, after the two Treasury note issues above mentioned have been provided for, are consequently paid to this commission. In addition to payments amounting to 750,000 dollars received on this account in 1926 (p. 224), the commission in that year raised a loan from Chinese banks on the security of these instalments of the deferred indemnity for 1 million dollars for the upkeep of Government institutions in Peking, and the Inspector-General guaranteed to turn over the instalments as they fall due to these banks to repay this loan, which will in this way be paid off in 1928. When the two Treasury note issues are also paid off in 1930 (it may not be till 1932, owing to the action taken by the Ministry of Finance in issuing bonds carrying coupons up to 1932, in contradiction to the original arrangement for redemption in 1930, as described at the bottom of p. 153), the whole of the deferred Russian indemnity will be at the disposal of the Sino-Soviet Commission. This will mean in practice a release of some £365,000 to the commission in the year 1931 and subsequently during the years 1941 to 1945, while from 1932 to 1940, it will be as much as £527,000 owing to the fact that under the protocol indemnity table, the instalments payable to Russia were increased during the concluding years of the indemnity term as the result of the extinction of the Anglo-French Loan of 1895 (the 1941-45 payments are of course deferred payments only, see Appendix 4, p. 218). Next year, it is estimated that the Sino-Soviet Commission will receive as much as 14 million dollars for educational purposes after the other obligations above described have been met, payments being in pounds sterling and the present exchange being low. The commission originally consisted of two Chinese, Hsu Ch'ien and Li Shih-tseng, well known at that time for their Communist tendencies, and a Russian named Dr. Pergament. Later, the two former ran away to the South, and have now been replaced by the present commissioners, Chu Yu-chi and Lin Hsiu-tse, while the latter was replaced by M. Spilvanek as the Soviet member. Hsü Ch'ien incidentally made great efforts to retain control of the funds after his flight to Hankow. At a recent meeting in Peking of the commission, which was reorganised in its present form last summer, the Soviet member, referring to the support given to Chinese higher\n\nPage 140\n\nPage 141\n\n144",
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        "document_key": "CO129-512-1 Political situation in China- and Canton 30-11-1928 - 23-5-1929",
        "page_number": 127,
        "title": "CO129-512-1 Political situation in China- and Canton 30-11-1928 - 23-5-1929",
        "content_text": "# March 1st, 1929.\n\nA measure of foreign expert supervision is still maintained, have made a substantial improvement and have cleared off their arrears of loan service.\n\n## CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT\n\nThe Military Problem. Consideration of the railway situation brings me to the question of the armed forces, the existence of which at their present strength of over 13 million is the fundamental hindrance to progress and lies at the base of the reconstruction problem. Apart from the economic burden to China of having to support these unproductive legions, the militaristic system which they represent must, while it lasts, block all important schemes for improving the state of the country. As I have hinted already, independent military commanders clinging to control of the sinews of war in their district are an insuperable obstacle to national reorganisation, and real reform depends on the centralization of military control with reduction of the armies. We may welcome the attempt made to grapple with this problem by the Disbandment Conference held at Nanking last month.\n\n## Foreign Relations\n\nIn Sino-foreign relations the year has been eventful, new treaties having been signed with all but one or two of the Treaty Powers. Our own Government concluded the new tariff treaty on December 20th, followed on the next day by the presentation of letters of credence by H.M. Minister. General, as well as diplomatic, relations between the two countries may happily be said to have returned to normal.\n\nThe anti-British agitation of two or three years ago has now practically vanished and a new spirit of friendliness is making itself felt, for which I believe we are in no small part indebted to the personal influence of H.M. Representatives in Peking and Hong Kong.\n\nThe recognition of tariff autonomy follows logically from the British declaration of policy in Chinese affairs made at the end of 1926 and is a first and major step in the treaty revision which H.M. Government then accepted as being due in justice to China. It is much to be hoped that the concession will be taken in this sense and not made a stepping-stone for demands for the prompt and unconditional surrender of essential foreign safeguards, the removal of which is not yet warranted by existing conditions in China and can safely come about only by a mutual adjustment of process.\n\nMuch as I hope to see the necessity for special foreign rights replaced at an early date by the security afforded by a responsible Chinese administration effective throughout the country, I do not hesitate to say that in the state of affairs which exists at the present moment the total disappearance of the existing safeguards would be disastrous to foreign business with China.\n\n## Customs and Salt Gabelle\n\nOf the so-called foreign-controlled services, I have to record, with regret, the resignation of Mr. Edwardes, Officiating Inspector General of Customs, since the retirement of Sir Francis Aglen two years ago. He is succeeded by Mr. Maze, for the success of whose administration we tender our best wishes.\n\nIn the case of the Salt Gabelle, the National Government have repudiated many of the major provisions of the 1913 Reorganisation Loan Agreement and substituted new regulations, drawn up without reference to the signatory banks, rigorously curtailing the joint supervisory powers of the Chinese and foreign Chief Inspectors. It is gravely damaging to the new Government's reputation for good faith that they should hold themselves free to alter contracts by their own arbitrary decision even when, as in this case, the rights involved had been made almost a dead letter by the action of the authorities of a previous regime. The Minister of Finance has, meanwhile, publicly pledged himself to provide for the services of the loans secured on the Salt Revenue, and the foreign Governments concerned have noted his undertaking.\n\n## Foreign Debt Defaults\n\nThe list of defaulted Chinese foreign loans in which British interests are involved was increased last year by the addition of the Anglo-French loan of 1908 and the Crisp Loan of 1912. Five of the railways loans are also in arrears and, the total defaulted payments for 1928 on the British portions alone (not including unsecured loans) amounted to £1,160,000. It is to be hoped that the Government will not delay in taking in hand a scheme for liquidating the large body of arrears on these foreign debts.\n\n285\n\nthat we realize the peculiar difficulties of their task and, in following the situation, we strive to maintain an outlook essentially broad-minded and free from petty or biassed views.\n\nFinally, I would ask for your confirmation of the action of the Directors in voting a bonus of 10 per cent. on their salaries to the staff. The year has been a very difficult one to all concerned and I feel confident you will approve of this recognition of their services.\n\nI now beg to propose the adoption of the Report and Statement of Accounts. After the proposal has been seconded and before placing the motion before the meeting, I shall be pleased to answer to the best of my ability any questions that shareholders may have to ask.\n\n## SECONDER'S SPEECH\n\nThe Hon. Mr. J. Owen Hughes, said:--Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: Before formally seconding the adoption of the report and accounts, I feel sure it will be the wish of everyone present that I should express our sympathy with the Chief Manager upon his unfortunate accident, and to express our admiration for the manner in which he has, notwithstanding, carried out literally single-handed his onerous duties (applause) and to wish a speedy mending of his right arm.\n\nI am also equally certain that shareholders will join me in congratulating our Chairman on the lucid and exceedingly interesting exposition of the Bank's affairs during the past year, and particularly with the masterly review of the political and economic condition of affairs in the East generally, and more especially in China.\n\nIt may not be out of place to mention in round figures the outstanding amount of long-term Chinese loans raised on the London market. The total is between 30 and 40 millions of pounds sterling, of which roughly one-half relates to loans used for railway construction.\n\nIf my review of the Chinese situation has been less tinged with optimism than some of my hearers might have hoped, let me remind you that I have been dealing with the facts of to-day rather than the promise of to-morrow and, furthermore, that a transitional period is always a difficult, and often a disappointing, time.\n\n## Spirit of Progress\n\nI count it a great achievement in itself that the Nationalist party and its military supporters have held the country together since their victory of last summer and one can see in many directions outside the range of politics the promise of rapid advance to take material examples, in the opening up of the country by extensive motor roads and by the aeronautical development of which we have had a striking example in the successful flight by Chinese pilots across the entire length of the country from Canton to Mukden. There can be no doubt that the spirit of progress is abroad throughout the country. May I conclude by saying that those who bear the responsibility of directing this progress and of restoring law, order and prosperity to the country have our genuine sympathy.\n\nNot only do we here in Hong Kong look forward to this annual meeting of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation to have presented to us the considered views of the Court of Directors, the Chief Manager, and Branch Managers of the institution, so also do the banking and commercial world generally, and I think it will be conceded no better review of the situation has ever been presented than that which we have just now listened to.\n\n## The Bank's Strength\n\nI will not attempt to analyse the formidable figures that are disclosed in the statement of the affairs of the Bank, which clearly proves its strength and fully justifies its position in the front rank of the world's financial institutions to-day, of which fact, we, in Hong Kong, are naturally proud.\n\nWhilst we note with regret the result of the year's working is somewhat less favourable than the preceding years this, however, can be no surprise to those acquainted with conditions that have ruled in the principal fields of the Bank's operations during the past year, and we can well congratulate ourselves on receiving the same dividend as allocated for the past few years, and I would here congratulate the Chief Manager, and all associated with him in the attainment of this very satisfactory state of affairs, bearing in mind the undoubtedly difficult and trying conditions.",
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        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-574-13 British capital for China- Prime Minister's statement 5-11-1938 - 5-11-1938",
        "page_number": 50,
        "title": "CO129-574-13 British capital for China- Prime Minister's statement 5-11-1938 - 5-11-1938",
        "content_text": "## International Situation\n\n### HOUSE OF COMMONS\n\n#### International Situation\n\n[Mr. Astor.] sanctions. During sanctions it was a straight conflict in which both sides understood each other. Afterwards the Italians got the idea that we in a period of weakness had taken a setback and that we were going to build up arms for revenge. Ill-feeling got much worse until the Prime Minister took decisive measures to end it. Let us not make the same mistake with the Germans. I was interested to hear what the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition said about Germany. He said they were on a starvation level. One did not see signs of that. Their standard of living is not so high as in this country, but if you met people who had been in work camps, one found their physical condition on the whole good. They have done away with unemployment but at great cost of liberty. People who say that Germany should be an example to us in that respect should remember what it means. One hears talk about an economic general staff and planning, but it is no good having a general staff unless you have a disciplined army which you can order about. I was outside Vienna on Friday and met a couple of young men from a village who had been sent to the other end of Germany to work on some fortifications. They had been unemployed before and were rather pleased, but whether we would be prepared to try and abolish unemployment in this country by methods of that sort is an entirely different question.\n\nMr. McGovern: Can the hon. Gentleman tell us their wage? Is he aware that it is 2d. per day?\n\nMr. Astor: I only know that these people were a good deal better off than when they were unemployed. I made it clear that the standard of wages and living in Germany, taken on the average, is a good deal lower than in this country. The workers get many non-financial benefits such as cheap tickets, cheap holidays, and holidays with pay, but to pretend that the employed worker there is on the same level as here is absurd.\n\nMr. McGovern: I was in the labour camps and I was told the wage is 2d. a day and that each man is given a quarter of a lb. of white lard and no butter.\n\nMr. Astor: That may be true. But I am not arguing in favour of that system. I am only trying to point out that people who want to abolish unemployment by German methods must realise the universal conscription which those methods mean. The feeling that one gets from being in Germany is, first, one of relief and the desire for peace; secondly, that we must be strong; thirdly, that we must make it clear to the Germans that the one touch-stone in negotiations is willingness to end the armed race. Up to now they have had every cause to feel that the only way in which they can get anything is by the use or the threat of arms. If we can show that it is possible to get things, not by the increase in arms, but by the decrease in arms, then there will be a chance of getting proper appeasement in Europe. Going through the Sudeten areas as I did, I could not feel any humiliation or regret because it was perfectly clear that most of the people in those areas are pleased with the change in their conditions.\n\n9.53 p.m.\n\nMr. Shinwell: In the course of a challenging speech this afternoon, my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition asked certain questions of the Government. So far there has been no satisfactory response, and on certain important issues which were raised during the Debate, we are still far from enlightenment.\n\nNor can we say that the mists of confusion which surround the Government's foreign policy have been removed. Certainly the Prime Minister's speech has thrown little light on that subject. Beyond a few generalisations about appeasement, we have had no elucidation. The lead which the country is entitled to expect from the Government is not forthcoming. The Government have abandoned collective security if, indeed, they ever believed in that principle. They no longer rely upon the League of Nations, which lies scattered because of the insincerity of the Tory party and the folly of successive Foreign Secretaries. They now take refuge in vague talk of appeasement and place themselves unreservedly in the hands of the Prime Minister, in whose head lurks the quaint conviction that the promise of enduring peace resides in the assurances of Herr Hitler, ignoring the fact that the head of the German Government has betrayed every promise he ever made to our nation.\n\nOne thing is abundantly clear to us after hearing the Prime Minister. While the Munich Agreement went far beyond Godesberg, the present revision of frontiers, assisted by an International Commission who seem to have been more concerned to placate Germany than to act justly, has gone further than the Anglo-French plan, Godesberg, and Munich combined. The fact is that Herr Hitler has obtained more than he could ever have hoped to get. It is, therefore, a misuse of language to speak of peace as the Prime Minister has ventured to do this afternoon, in face of the treatment accorded to Czechoslovakia, the fate of thousands of Czechs and others, and the existence of profound minority problems in the territory ceded to the German Reich. The dispute arose over an alleged minority problem, but a minority problem still remains. When the Prime Minister flatters himself that peace exists, we remind him of the unhappy fate of the Social Democrats, the Jews, and of the spectacle of thousands of refugees driven from pillar to post. This is not the Labour party's conception of peace. One thing we can be sure of is that morals in international relations have completely disappeared. Whose word can we trust, and who trusts our word? That is what Munich has done.\n\nThe Prime Minister expressed himself in strong language upon the statement of my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition that Munich constituted a defeat for this country and the rule of law and order. That, apparently, is not the view of the Prime Minister. Then what is it? A victory? If it is not defeat, what does it represent? Surely it will not be denied that a vast change has occurred. The situation differs considerably from that which existed prior to the Munich Agreement. How the Prime Minister can maintain that this is not in the nature of a defeat is really beyond my comprehension. Anyhow, it is not the view of the Czechs. Moreover, it is not the view of Herr Hitler himself. Apparently, there is but one person who believes that Munich represents no defeat, and that is the Prime Minister. Further, the Prime Minister claims that the Munich Agreement was carried through in a peaceful manner, but he ignores what led up to the dispute. He overlooks the threats, the intimidation, the bullying methods of the German Reich. Though in the end the Agreement, for what it is worth, was consummated in an apparently peaceful fashion, it was not based primarily on peace but on force.\n\nThe Prime Minister asked my right hon. Friend a question, which he had not the opportunity of dealing with, which was whether we supposed that the frontiers arising out of the Versailles Treaty would never be changed. It is, I admit, a pertinent question, but he ought not to have put it to my right hon. Friend; he ought to have replied to it himself. It is a question which ought to be put to hon. and right hon. Gentlemen on the opposite benches. What was their view? Our party has consistently declared that a revision of frontiers was rendered necessary by the course of events, but every time a demand was made along those lines, it was resisted by the right hon. Gentleman and his Friends. Of course, we agree that frontiers must be revised, but if they are to be revised, it ought to be by peaceful means and not under duress. Has this occurred? No one knows better than the right hon. Gentleman himself that that is not the case.\n\nWe have been reminded frequently in the weeks following upon the crisis of what was the alternative to the Munich Agreement. We were informed, and are still informed, that it meant war. The right hon. Gentleman shields himself behind that claim; but at one point, he was ready himself to advise drastic action. He declared that Godesberg was not acceptable, and we all recall his declaration that if he thought there was a nation ready to dominate the world by force, he would be ready to resist; and over and above all, there was the mobilisation of the Navy. Apparently, there was in the minds of the right hon. Gentleman and his friends the thought of the alternative of war. Therefore, how he can claim that all along he was concerned primarily with peace and never contemplated the alternative is beyond my comprehension.\n\nI venture to ask the right hon. Gentleman, When do we reach the point when action should be taken? Surely that is a question which ought to evoke some response. Or do we never take action in any circumstances, whatever the insult? Suppose Russia had been involved. We almost went to war with Russia in the palmy days of a particular Home Secretary, now unhappily deceased, on the mere question of a trading organisation representing the Soviet in London, and we all recall what happened when certain British engineers were prosecuted in Russia. It is surely time that the Prime Minister, as the head of the Government, told the country exactly what we are prepared to fight for, and where we make our stand.\n\nWhat have we learned in the course of this Debate about the international guarantee of which the Prime Minister has made so much? After all, Czechoslovakia suffered, she was sacrificed, she was betrayed; but there was to be an international guarantee and all was to be for the better. After the consummation of the Munich Agreement and the revision of frontiers, her integrity was not in any way to be interfered with. Very well, but the Prime Minister has now informed us that the international guarantee is to be invoked only when there is unprovoked aggression. Surely that calls for clarification. Is a threat of mobilisation aggression? Where a Government inspires terrorist bands to operate upon a frontier, is that unprovoked aggression? The Prime Minister might very well have amplified what he said on that matter.\n\nI pass from that subject to a further important consideration which has arisen in the course of this dispute. When Government spokesmen are in difficulties, they adopt a familiar technique. They challenge the Labour party to produce its alternative policy. Several speeches have been made by Government spokesmen in the past few weeks indicating a desire to hear what the Labour party have to offer as an alternative policy. I read in the `Sunday Times`, a newspaper devoted to the interests of the Government, in a leading article last Sunday, the following:\n\n\"Opposition leaders will be under the necessity, as elsewhere too often they are not, of stating precisely what alternative policies they would follow if they stood in the Government's shoes. There lies their difficulty. For while it is easy enough to dilate on the problems and dangers by which the country is beset, it is another matter to indicate any immediate way out of them other than that which the Government are pursuing.\"\n\nI admit that there are difficulties, but why do these difficulties exist? Because of the foreign policy pursued by the Government.\n\nThere was a time when a solution was possible, when the League of Nations was stronger than it now is. Will it be unfair to suggest that when this Government went to the country with an election manifesto based upon the principle of collective security, was the appropriate time to present a constructive policy in support of peace? Of course, there are difficulties, and they are greater than they ever were before. I would not contend otherwise, but we have suggested certain alternatives to the policy of the Government. My right hon. Friend, in the speech which he delivered a few weeks ago from this Box, advocated, on behalf of this party, the conception of a world conference. That conception has been rejected by the Prime Minister, although there is support for the idea throughout the world. The speeches of President Roosevelt, perhaps the greatest moral force in the world, indicate support for it. Russia and France would come into it. There is little doubt that if the United States of America joined in, the confidence of the smaller nations would be restored. It was shocked by the policy that we pursued. Such a conference would have a greater chance of success before than after the conclusion of the Four Power Pact. After such a Pact, we should be dominated by Germany and that hope would be gone.\n\nI ask a further question. Are the Government ready to form an alliance with Russia? There has so far been no reply to that question. The Prime Minister was presented with an opportunity on the point raised by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition in respect of the amazing utterance of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. It would be interesting to know the views of the Government upon that speech. We ought to know. Does truth reside in the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster as to the military position and the intentions of Russia during the recent crisis? If so, we ought to be informed. I dare say the opinion that, on the question of a possible alliance with Russia, there are Tories, and possibly Members of the Government, who would rather lose the Empire than enter into relations with Russia.\n\nI take leave to doubt whether much is to be gained by debating these matters with the Prime Minister because he appears to have made up his mind. Therefore, I think I had better leave the point.\n\nWe must face the fact that Czechoslovakia is now disrupted and that her...\n\nPage 50\nPage 51",
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