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Nr. 13077. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Gesandte in Peking an den Minister des Ausw. Verhalten der Russen

in Niutschwang.

Peking, April 17, 1903. (April 17.)

(Telegraphic.) || A Russian, aged 25, has been appointed Commissioner of Customs at Newchwang by Sir R. Hart. New Commissioner was Inspector-General's Private Secretary, and appointment has caused much dissatisfaction at Newchwang. At Newchwang Russians will now have the Commissioner of Customs, the Native Customs, and the Customs Taotai.

Nr. 13078. GROSSBRITANNIEN. — Derselbe an Denselben. Die chinesische Regierung fürchtet neue Übergriffe Rußlands.

Peking, April 17, 1903. (April 17.)

(Telegraphic.) || Newchwang evacuation. || Sir C. Scott's telegram of the 15th instant. || There is a growing feeling here that either evacuation will not take place or that Russia is exacting conditions. All the Chinese Ministers are away with the Court. || I am informed by His Majesty's Consul at Newchwang that the war-vessels at present in the port are His Majesty's ship „Vestal", United States' ship „Wilmington", and two Russian gun-boats. It would not appear that such a force could offer much danger of a foreign occupation on evacuation by the Russians.

Nr. 13079. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Gesandte in Peking an den Minister des Ausw. Rußland stellt neue Bedingungen für die Räumung der Mandschurei.

Peking, April 23, 1903. (April 23.)

(Telegraphic.) || Manchurian evacuation. I hear that before further evacuating Manchuria, Russians have demanded seven conditions. My informant only quotes three, which, he says, are the most important: || 1. Same status as regards administration as during occupation. || 2. No nationals other than Russians to be employed in the north. The north might at a stretch be made to mean North China generally, but presumably it refers to the part of the Empire beyond the Great Wall. || 3. No Consulate of other Powers to be established, nor free port opened in evacuated district. The assurances given here that the evacuation. would be faithfully carried out ill accord with the demand for such

conditions, which is a flagrant breach of the Manchurian Convention. || To-day the Court returns, and this afternoon or to-morrow I hope to have an audience of Prince Ching.

Nr. 13080. GROSSBRITANNIEN, Derselbe an Denselben. Das

selbe.

Peking, April 23, 1903. (April 23.)

(Telegraphic.) || Manchurian evacuation. News contained in my telegram of to-day is confirmed. Following are remaining four conditions:-|| 1. No portion of the three provinces ever to be alienated to any foreign Power. || 2. Newchwang sanitary Regulations to be managed by Russians. || 3. Newchwang customs to be paid into Russo-Chinese Bank. || 4. Russians to have right to use all Chinese telegraph poles in Manchuria for Russian wires. Chinese Government have refused to accept Russian note containing conditions.

Nr. 13081. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Minister des Ausw. an den Gesandten in Peking. Die Auslieferung Niutschwangs kann schlimme Folgen für China haben.

Foreign Office, April 23, 1903.

(Telegraphic.) || Russia and Newchwang. Your telegram of the 17th instant. || You should represent to the Chinese Government that they have, by acceding to the Russian demands, practically handed over to Russian administration a Treaty port where the trade is almost exclusively British, American, and Japanese. || If this action tends to strengthen Russian hold on Manchuria, and leads to demands in other directions from other Powers, the Chinese Government have only themselves to thank.

Nr. 13082. GROSSBRITANNIEN. - Derselbe an Denselben. China. soll sich neuen Forderungen widersetzen.

Foreign Office, April 23, 1903. (Telegraphic.) | Delay in evacuation of Manchuria. Your telegrams of to-day. You should urge the Chinese Government to refuse any conditions not justified by the Manchurian Convention, and point out that Article LIV of the Treaty of Tien-tsin would be violated by the second condition mentioned in your first telegram of to-day, and would

be resented by us. Demands as stated are quite inadmissible. | Act with your Japanese colleageu

Nr. 13083. GROSSBRITANNIEN.

Der Gesandte in Peking an

den Minister des Ausw. Näheres über die russischen Forderungen. China will sie ablehnen. Peking, April 24, 1903. (April 24.)

(Telegraphic.) || Manchurian evacuation. The conditions of evacuation reported in my telegram of yesterday are confirmed by Prince Ching with the following exception: || No. 2 should read that for every foreigner employed in the Administration a Russian colleague shall be appointed. His Highness stated that he could not remember 7th condition, and that No. 3 does not exist as a condition. || I will endeavour to obtain full text of demands. || Chinese Government, Prince said, had refused to entertain the conditions, and in this refusal it intended to remain firm. He added that Russia had no grounds for imposing fresh conditions, nor any right to do so, but stated that in their note Russians did not make evacuation conditional on acceptance of these demands. || In reply I informed the Prince that, although I had not yet received your Lordship's instructions, I could assure him that His Majesty's Government would afford him support in resisting Russian demands similar to that which was given at the time of the negotiation of the Manchurian Convention. A similar assurance was given by the Japanese Minister. || I communicated to the Prince the contents of your Lordship's telegram of yesterday, and urged upon him that if he gave way now upon the minor points the more important concessions would inevitably form the object of increased Russian pressure in the future.

Nr. 13084. GROSSBRITANNIEN. - Der Botschafter in Washington an den Minister des Ausw. Die Vereinigten Staaten wollen Ablehnung der russischen Forderungen.

Washington, April 26, 1903. (April 26.) (Telegraphic.) || Manchuria. With reference to your Lordship's telegram of yesterday,*) I have not had the opportunity of having a personal interview with the Secretary of State, but I understand that he has in

*) Darin hatte der Minister dem Botschafter die russischen Bedingungen mitgeteilt. Red.

structed the United States' Minister at Peking, by telegraph, to urge on the Chinese Government the advisability of refusing the first and second of the conditions laid down by Russia. || He has also instructed the United States' Ambassador at St. Petersburgh, by telegraph, to request explanations from the Russian Government. || The Russian conditions appear to have aroused general indignation in the press of this country.

Nr. 13085. GROSSBRITANNIEN. - Derselbe an Denselben. Das

selbe.

Washington, April 27, 1903. (April 27.)

(Telegraphic.) || Manchuria. My immediately preceding telegram of yesterday. The information which I reported to your Lordship is confirmed by the Secretary of State, who has instructed the United States' Ambassador at St. Petersburgh to make his inquiries in a friendly spirit, and to point out to the Russian Government that the conditions laid down by them are not in accordance with the proposed stipulations contained in the draft Treaty between the United States and China, a copy of which has been communicated to them.

Nr. 13086. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Gesandte in Peking an den Minister des Ausw. Genauerer Text der russischen Bedingungen.

Peking, April 27, 1903. (April 28.)

(Telegraphic.) || My telegrams of the 23rd instant. || Manchurian evacuation. | Chinese text of Russian conditions has been communicated to me. It is very obscure in places, being evidently a bad translation from some foreign language, and must be held to be subject to alteration. || 1. Condition No. 1 (No. 1 in my second telegram of the 23rd instant) provides that territory in the Liao River and Newchwang district to be evacuated should in no circumstances be ceded to another Power, either by sale or lease. Such action would be regarded by Russia as a threat on the part of China, and she would take decisive steps to protect her own interests. In the original text the wording of this condition may admit of a wider meaning. || No. 2 (No. 1 in my first telelegram of the 23rd instant). This condition refers to Mongolia, and demands that no change should be made in the present Chinese system of Administration. || No. 3 (No. 3 in my first telegram of the 23rd instant). This condition. should be prefaced by words,,without previously informing Russian Government". || No. 4 (No. 2 in my first telegram of the 23rd instant) runs as

Staatsarchiv LXIX.

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follows: If China is determined to invite foreigners to manage administrative matters, their powers must not extend to the north of China. Since Russian interests are predominant in the north, if foreigners are invited to manage affairs there, branch agencies must be established under Russian control. For instance, if foreigners are engaged as mining advisers, they must not interfere with mining matters in Mongolia and the three Manchurian provinces, Russian experts must be asked to manage such mining matters." || I am assured confidentially that, although Mongolia and Manchuria are especially mentioned, Chih-li is also intended to be included in the term used. | No. 5 is practically the same as No. 4 in my second telegram of the 23rd instant, but in the Chinese the sense is very obscure. || No. 6 is No. 3 of my second telegram of the 23rd instant, and remains unchanged. || No. 7. This is a very lenghthy condition referring to the Sanitary Board of Newchwang. It requires, briefly, that, after the evacuation, Russian business firms and Russian subjects shall continue to enjoy whatever privileges they may have acquired. It points out the ease with which disease may be spread by the railway, and, in order to prevent this, requires the creation of an office to direct the necessary precautionary measures. It is demanded that the present Russian sanitary measures be maintained after the evacuation, that the Customs doctor and the Commissioner of Customs be Russian subjects, and that a permanent Board be established. This Board to consist of the doctor, the Commissioner of Customs, the foreign Consuls at Newchwang, the Taotai, the agent of the Manchurian Railway, and an expert bacteriologist (presumably Russian).

Nr. 13087. GROSSBRITANNIEN.

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Der Minister des Ausw. an den Botschafter in Washington. England will mit den Vereinigten Staaten die offene Tür in China erhalten. Foreign Office, April 28, 1908. (Telegraphic.) | Evacuation of Manchuria. Your telegram of the 27th instant. You may assure the United States' Government that it is our desire and intention to act in accordance with what we conceive to be the policy of the United States, namely, to open China impartially to the commerce of the whole world, to maintain her independence and integrity, and to insist upon the fulfilment of Treaty and other obligations by the Chinese Government which they have contracted towards us. || His Majesty's Government hope that the United States' Government will keep them fully informed of any action taken by them.