Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 2, 1902

Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay.

Legation of the United States,
Peking, March 4, 1902.

No. 932.]

Sir: In order that I might be definitely informed of the progress of negotiations on the Manchurian question, I called upon Prince Ch’ing for that purpose on the 2d instant. He outlined to me the proposition which he had made to the Russian minister, and finally gave me a copy thereof, which I herein inclose. The Russian minister has not yet replied. If he does accept them, the Prince says that he will be obliged to sign.

One of the greatest objections is to the clause by which China agrees not to extend the Shanhaikwan Railway, which now terminates on the opposite side of the river from Niuchwang, nor ever to build a bridge across the Liao River without the consent of Russia. The Russians have recently built a railroad on the west side of the Liao River to a point opposite and about 15 miles from Moukden. They own all the roads on the east side of the river, so that it is possible for them to practically cut off Niuchwang, divert all the trade to Dalny, and thus destroy the only open Chinese port in Manchuria, and the source of a very large revenue. I explained this to Prince Ch’ing, and he promised that if his present terms were not accepted and there was opportunity to amend, he would try to remedy this. He informed me that both British and Japanese ministers had signified their approval of these terms. The latter tells me he has, by instruction of his Government, approved them. The former, however, says that there are several modifications that he is still urging Prince Ch’ing to secure if possible.

The Prince again informed me that he would not sign the Russo-Chinese Bank agreement, and that if the Russian minister refused, as he feared he would, to sign the convention as modified, he would inform me.

From the wording of the document, “up to the Liao,” Niuchwang would not be included in the first period of evacuation, although Prince Ch’ing insisted that it was so understood.

I urged the importance of the earliest possible restoration of Niuchwang, both on account of our trade and the revenue which was pledged to the indemnity, now being collected by the Russians, but I did not think it best to discuss in detail other special provisions of the convention.

I have, etc.,

E. H. Conger.

[Inclosure.]

Proposed convention between China and Russia.

The Emperor of Russia and the Emperor of China, desiring to restore in a stable and lasting manner the neighborly relations which were injured by the revolution of 1900 in China, have appointed plenipotentiaries to confer with regard to matter in the “Three Eastern Provinces” (Manchuria).

1. The Emperor of Russia, desiring to manifest clearly new proof of his friendship for the Emperor of China and of his justice toward him, overlooks the circumstances of the attack made upon the peaceable subjects of Russia in Manchuria and on the Russian frontier, and agrees to restore to Chinese sovereignty all places in the “Three Eastern Provinces,” and will take the said territory and surrender it to the map of China and to the control of Chinese officials as it was before the occupation by the Russian army.

2. The Chinese Government now from the time of the restoration to its authority of the “Three Eastern Provinces” clearly agrees to observe forever the limit of time and the various articles of the contract with the Russo-Chinese Bank, entered into on the 27th of August, Russian calendar, 1896, and, moreover, in accordance with the fifth article of that contract, acknowledges it to be its duty to use its utmost endeavors to protect the railway and all officers of the said railway, as well as to protect all Russian subjects in the “Three Eastern Provinces” and their several interests.

The Russian Government, seeing that the Chinese Government acknowledges the above conditions, on its part agrees that, should there be no further disturbances and no action on the part of other powers to prevent, it will successively withdraw all the various Russian forces occupying the “Three Eastern Provinces,” the manner of withdrawal to be as follows:

Within four months after the signing of this convention to withdraw all Government troops of Russia from the southwestern section of the province of Shengking up to the Liao River; and restore the various railways to China; within another four months to withdraw the remainder of the Government troops from the province of Shengking and all Government troops from the province of Kinn; and within another four months to withdraw all the remainder of Russian Government troops occupying the province of Heilungkiang.

3. The Government of China and the Government of Russia, in order to avoid a recurrence of the disturbances of last year, and since these disturbances were caused by Chinese Government troops of these various provinces stationed on the Russian border, now direct the military governors to consult with the Russian military authorities and determine the number of Chinese regiments to be stationed in the “Three Eastern Provinces,” previous to the withdrawal of the Russian forces, and the places where they shall be stationed; and China agrees that she will not add any drilled troops over and above the number agreed upon by the military governors and the Russian military authorities as necessary to the suppression of bandits and the preservation of order in the country; but after the withdrawal of all the Russian forces it shall rest with China to determine the number of troops to be stationed in the “Three Eastern Provinces,” whether she should increase or decrease their number, but she will notify the Russian Government, for if China should increase her military establishment in these provinces, Russia, too, at the various places along the border, will not be able to avoid increasing her troops, and the two nations without profit will add to their military expenses. As to the establishment of police in the “Three Eastern Provinces,” and for the pacification of the country outside of the territories granted to the Chinese Eastern Railway, the military governors of the various provinces will drill for special use Chinese cavalry and infantry regiments, for police purposes.

4. The Russian Government agrees to restore to its owners the Shanhaikwan, Yingk’ou and Hsinmint’ing Railway, which has been in the possession and under the protection of Russian troops since the end of September, 1900. The Chinese Government agrees that—

(a) Should circumstances require protection to be given to the said railway, it shall be the special duty of China to afford it, and she shall not request any other power to furnish protection, repair, or maintain it, and it will not be permitted any other power to occupy the places surrendered by the Russian troops.

(b) In the completion and maintenance of the various sections of the railway, there must be exact observance of the agreement of April 16, 1899, between Russia and Great Britain, and of that of September 28, 1898, with the company for the loan for constructing the railway, and the company, moreover, must observe all its guaranties to avoid the occupation or the employment of any pretext to control the Shanhaikwan, Yingk’ou, and Hsmmint’ing Railway.

(c) Hereafter all matters pertaining to the extension of the railway in the southern part of the “Three Eastern Provinces,” or the building of branch roads, or the construction of a bridge at Yingk’ou, or the removal of the railway terminus, must be settled by mutual conference.

(d) It is proper that the Russian Government should be compensated for the expenditure in rebuilding and keeping up the Shanhaikwan, Yingk’ou, and Hsinmint’ing Railway, which it is handing back, and examination shows that this sum is not included in the general indemnity. It will be necessary for the Chinese Government and the Russian Government to consult together and determine the amount of the compensation.