Minister Rockhill
to the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Peking, August 14,
1905.
No. 55.]Sir: With reference to previous correspondence
concerning the cancellation of the concession of the American China
Development Company, I beg to state that on receiving instructions I at
once sent Mr. Williams, the Chinese secretary of this legation, to the
foreign office and instructed him to put the following questions to the
minister:
This legation is in receipt of reliable information that the
Chinese minister at Washington has entered into a provisional
memorandum of settlement with the American China Development
Company, in which he recites the fact that the Chinese
Government has canceled and annulled the concession and contract
of the said company and has refused to permit it to continue the
construction of its railway, and that he offers as reasonable
indemnity to the company the sum of six millions and
three-quarters.
* * * * * * *
On the 12th instant, not having received any reply from the foreign
office in accordance with the promise made to Mr. Williams in his
interview of the 9th instant, I sought a personal interview with the
minister. I failed to secure it, and then asked to see him on Sunday and
was received by him on that day.
* * * * * * *
Yesterday I received a note from the foreign office, a copy of which is
herewith inclosed, giving a reply to the question which I had submitted
to it in writing. Although this note states that the Chinese minister
may have been acting within his authority in concluding the arrangement
mentioned, it does not either state that such an arrangement has been
made nor does it declare that such an arrangement, if
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made, has the approval of the Imperial
Government. I can not therefore consider that this answer is
satisfactory, but I shall await further instructions before I mention
the matter further to the foreign office.
* * * * * * *
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Memorandum Left at the Chinese Foreign Office
August 12, 1905.
The Chinese minister in Washington, representing the Imperial
Government, has signed with the American China Development Company a
provisional memorandum of settlement. In this the Chinese minister
states that, his government having canceled and annulled the
concession and contract of the said company and refused to permit it
to continue the construction of the railway, he has suggested as a
reasonable indemnity and offered to pay to the company the sum of
six and three-quarter millions of gold dollars (United States
currency).
The President wishes to have an immediate answer from the Imperial
Government stating whether or not the recital of facts in the
above-mentioned provisional agreement was authorized by the Chinese
Government, and, in case it has not so authorized, asks that it will
immediately notify the Chinese minister at Washington to that
effect.
[Inclosure 2.]
Prince Ch’ing to
Minister Rockhill.
With reference to the matter of the Hankow-Canton Railway, concerning
which your excellency called at my board yesterday and left a
memorandum to the effect that His Excellency Liang had reached an
agreement with the American China Development Company, by which the
company’s contract was nullified and an indemnity therefor was
suggested by him, etc., and in which you desired to know whether or
not the Chinese Government had sanctioned such a settlement and
given His Excellency Liang authority for his action in the matter, I
have the honor to state that my board has made inquiry into the
matter and finds as follows:
The grand council, last year and this year, copied and sent to His
Excellency Chang Chih-t’ung altogether three confidential letters of
instruction from the Emperor directing him, by order of the Throne,
to devise some means to gain back control of the railway.
The Chinese Government therefore, having given Chang Chih-t’ung
authority to act in this matter, and, moreover, Chang Chih-t’ung’s
memorial requesting that he and Liang be empowered to act cojointly
therein having been approved, is it plain that His Excellency Liang
certainly acted within his authority.
I therefore write this letter for your excellency’s information, and
trust you will transmit the contents thereof to your government.
I also take this occasion, etc.
Cards of foreign office inclosed.
