tions diplomatiques concernant les affaires de ces territoires avec les États voisins. || 4. Au Lieutenant Imperial est confié le commandement des forces navales dans le Pacifique et de toutes les troupes cantonnées dans le pays soumis à sa juridiction. || 5. Afin que les dispositions à prendre par l'autorité supérieure en Extrême-Orient concordent avec les vues du Pouvoir Central et l'activité des Ministères, il sera institué, sous notre présidence, un Comité Spécial composé de personnes que notre confiance appellera à ces fonctions. || 6. L'Aide-de-camp, Général Alexeieff, que nous nommons en même temps notre Lieutenant en Extrême-Orient, est chargé, en développant nos indications, d'élaborer des projets de loi sur l'administration des territoires d'Extrême-Orient et de les soumettre à notre approbation. Le Sénat dirigeant est chargé de pourvoir au nécessaire pour l'exécution de ce qui précède. Nicolas. (Signé) Nr. 13116. VEREINIGTE STAATEN. - Der Botschafter in London. an den englischen Minister des Ausw. China hat die Öffnung der mandschurischen Häfen versprochen. American Embassy, London, August 20, 1903. (August 21.) My Lord, I have the honour, under instructions from the Secretary of State to advise you, for the information of His Majesty's Government, that the Chinese Government has formally promised to sign, on the 8th October, a Treaty of Commerce, one section of which provides for the opening of the ports of Moukden and Ta-Tung-Kau to foreign Joseph H. Choate. commerce. Nr. 13117. GROSSBRITANNIEN. - Der Gesandte in Peking an den Minister des Ausw. Rußland stellt neue Be dingungen. Peking, September 9, 1903. (September 9.) (Telegraphic.) || I am informed by Prince Ching that fresh proposals have been made by the Russian Minister. These include: 1. Appointment to the Newchwang Sanitary Board of a Russian doctor. || 2. Duties on goods imported by the Chinese Eastern Railway to be no higher than those on goods imported by road. || 3. That at the two ports to be opened in Manchuria, no foreign Concessions or Settlements should be created. || 4. That the Russians should establish poststations between Kirin and Tsitsi-har (Prince has probably made a mistake here, and means Tsitsi-har and Blagovestchensk). || 5. Permission to be given to the Russians to construct wharves on the Sungari River, and station troops for their protection. || If the Chinese Government accept these proposals, the rest of Moukden to be evacuated on the 8th October, Heilung Chiang in twelve months, and Kirin in four. || Prince thinks that the negotiations will be lengthy; but he has made a counterproposal that these periods should be reduced to four and two months respectively. || He explained that the acceptance of condition I would not prevent the appointment of doctors of other nationalities as well as the Russian; and that condition 3, would not hinder the acquisition of land for building purposes by foreigners. || With regard to condition 5, his Highness' reply to Russian Minister is that China has no objection to the construction of the wharves, but that her own troops would protect them; and with regard to 4, that post-stations will be re-established by China herself. I warned Prince Ching that he must exercise care and not concede any conditions by which the Treaty rights of other Powers might be interfered with. Nr. 13118. JAPAN. - Der Gesandte in London an den englischen Minister des Ausw. Denkschrift über die russischen Forderungen. September 11, 1903. I. Assurances shall be given by China to the effect that the three Manchurian provinces shall never be ceded to any other Power, and that no piece of land in those provinces shall be pledged, leased, or disposed of in any way whatever. || II. In view of the fact that the main roads between Tsitsi-har, Mergen, and Blagovestchensk, as well as the waterway of the River Sungari, are particularly important for the access of merchandise from the various regions of Manchuria to the Chinese Eastern Railway lines, Russia shall construct wharves at several points along the Sungari, and she shall also station number of troops necessary for the protection of the telegraph lines along the river as well as of the ships plying the river. || Russia shall also establish stations at various points along the roads between Tsitsi-har, Mergen, and Blagovestchensk. III. Upon goods conveyed by the railway no specially heavy duty shall be imposed. The duties imposed upon goods conveyed into Manchuria by railway from one station to another shall not be heavier than those for goods transported overland or by waterway. | IV. Upon the withdra wal of the Russian troops from Manchuria, the branch offices of the Russo-Chinese Bank in various parts of Manchuria shall be protected by the troops of the Djun-djun; the expenses for the stationing of those troops to be defrayed by the said Bank. || V. In order to prevent the importation of plague from Newchwang, Chinese authorities shall take measures necessary for that purpose after the plan adopted in Shanghae and Tien-tsin. Within the territories appertaining to the Chinese Eastern Railway, Russia shall adopt necessary measures. || In order to secure an accord between the steps which may be taken respectively by Russian and Chinese authorities for the above, a Russian physician shall be employed in the place where Taotai has charge of those precautionary measures. Japanese Legation, September 11, 1903. Nr. 13119. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Gesandte in Tokio an den Minister des Ausw. Japan sieht in den neuen. russischen Forderungen eine Verletzung der „Offenen Tür.“ Tôkiô, September 15, 1903. (September 15.) (Telegraphic.) || I have been shown by Baron Komura the full text of the Russian demands referred to by Sir E. Satow in his telegram of 9th September. The following is a paraphrase of the first paragraph: || „Assurance shall be given by China that she will never cede the three Manchurian provinces to any foreign Power, and that in those provinces no piece of land, great or small, shall be pledged, leased, or in any manner whatsoever disposed of." || This demand and the one respecting the Sungari River wharves are, in the opinion of the Japanese Government, in entire opposition to the principle of the open door, and their Representative at Peking has been instructed to oppose the new set of demands. || Up till now Japanese public opinion, as voiced in the more respectable section of the press, has been calm, but it has assumed an almost violent character since the publication of the Russian demands. I have repeated the above to Sir E. Satow. Nr. 13120. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Gesandte in Peking an den Minister des Ausw. China hat die Räumung verlangt. Peking, September 25, 1903. (September 25.) (Telegraphic.) P. || Manchuria. I asked Prince Ching how the negotiations were proceeding. He replied that he had written to the Russian Minister refusing the demands, and reminding him that by a solemn Con vention between Plenipotentiaries, ratified by the two Sovereigns, Russia was bound to evacuate second portion on 8th April and the last portion on 8th October. When the evacuation was completed in accordance therewith, China would discuss any international matters requiring settlement. He enlarged to me on the impossibility of conceding permission to station troops along Sungari and post road from Tsitsi-har to Blagovestchensk, and said if China conceded demands and Russia then nominally withdrew, latter would still be in virtual possession of the country. Nr. 13121. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Gesandte in Tokio an den Minister des Ausw. Japan wünscht die Ansicht Englands über die russischen Forderungen zu erfahren. Tôkiô, September 27, 1903. (September 27.1 (Telegraphic.) | With reference to my telegram of the 15th instant on the subject of the new demands put forward by Russia in connection with the Manchurian question, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that, in the opinion of the Japanese Government, the non-alienation demand will prevent the formation of foreign settlements in the new Treaty ports, although the demand has no reference to individuals, but applies solely to Powers. || The Minister for Foreign Affairs has on several occasions inquired whether your Lordship has expressed any opinion concerning the new demands. I replied to his Excellency that the policy of His Majesty's Government respecting the open-door policy in China has in no way changed, and that therefore an expression of opinion from your Lordship was hardly necessary. Nr. 13122. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Minister des Ausw. an den Gesandten in Tokio. Antwort auf das vorige. Foreign Office, September 30, 1903. (Telegraphic.) || Evacuation of Manchuria: Your telegram of the 27th September. || It appear to His Majesty's Government that there are objectionable features in the new conditions proposed by Russia, but we are unable to express a definite opinion from the information at our disposal, which is not sufficiently precise or authentic. For instance, we are in the dark as to the alleged demands of Russia for the control of the Customs, and it is doubtful what is the true interpretation of the condition respecting non-alienation. You should point this out to the Japanese Government, to whom, no doubt, the warnings recently given to the Chinese Government by Sir E. Satow are well known. The warnings are mentioned in telegram of the 9th instant from His Majesty's Minister at Peking, to whom you should repeat this telegram. Nr. 13123. GROSSBRITANNIEN. - Der Gesandte in Peking an den Minister des Ausw. Verhandlungen über die. Zollfrage. Peking, October 2, 1903. (October 2.) (Telegraphic.) || With reference to my telegram of the 9th ultimo and your Lordship's telegram to Tôkiô of the 30th ultimo, the nonalienation condition applies, so I am informed, to any lease, mortgage, or other transfer of all areas of whatever extent. || As regards the Customs, the Russian authorities in Peking objected to the 10th section of Article VIII of the Mackay Treaty being applied to Manchuria, as revenue interests were thereby placed under British control, and they have applied for the appointment of Russia officials instead. || It appears that Russian soldiers were certainly to have guarded the proposed post stations on the road to Blagovestchensk. Nr. 13124. RUSSLAND. Kaiserlicher Ukas über die Verwaltung des fernen Ostens. 30. September Oukase de Sa Majesté l'Empereur au Sénat dirigeant. 1903. En créant par Oukase Impérial du 30 Juillet de l'année courante la lieutenance de l'Extrême-Orient, nous avons mentionné que les affaires les plus importantes de l'administration de ce territoire devraient être étudiées par une institution spéciale placée sous notre présidence personnelle. | Ayant approuvé aujourd'hui les Statuts du Comité Spécial de l'Extrême-Orient, annexés ci-joint, nous ordonnons au Sénat dirigeant de les porter à la connaissance générale et de les appliquer dans l'ordre voulu. Le Sénat dirigeant prendra les mesures néccessaires pour l'exéention de ce qui précède. Nicolas. Darmstadt, le 30 Septembre, 1903. (Signé) |
