File No. 893.77/1072.
Minister Calhoun to
the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Peking, August 13,
1910.
Sir: With further reference to my telegraphic
dispatches, August 21 and August 9, I have the honor to
transmit to the department the translation of the note received from the
foreign office requesting the legation to instruct the representative of
the bank to negotiate with the board of communications for a
satisfactory settlement of the Hukuang loan and of my note to Mr.
Menocal to that effect.
I have, etc.,
[Page 290]
[Inclosure—Translation.]
The Prince of Ch’ing
to Minister Calhoun.
Foreign Office,
Peking, August 1,
1910.
No. 25.]
Your Excellency: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note informing me that
formerly an agreement was concluded between the representatives of
the British, French, and German banks and the grand secretary, Chang
for the raising of a loan for the construction of that portion of
the Canton-Hankow Railway in the Hukuang Provinces and that part of
the Hankow-Suchuan line lying within the province of Hupeh. Your
excellency then referred to a supplemental agreement whereby the
American group was admitted into the loan and requested that, a year
and more having elapsed, an edict should be issued approving the
agreements above mentioned and that they should be sealed and put
into effect. At the same time your excellency requested a speedy
reply.
It is to be noted that this matter was by imperial edict, in the
winter of last year, after the death of the grand secretary, Chang,
turned over to the board of posts and communications for
satisfactory settlement, and accordingly on receipt of your
excellency’s note, as indicated above, my board transmitted it to
the said board and I am now in receipt of their answer, which I must
in turn communicate to your excellency, the reply being a request on
the part of the board of posts and communications that the
representatives of the banks be instructed to negotiate with the
said board with a view to a satisfactory settlement of the
matter.
A necessary dispatch.
(seal of the wai-wu pu.)
[Inclosure 2.]
Minister Calhoun to the manager of the
International Banking Corporation at
Peking.
American Legation,
Peking, August 13,
1910.
No. 103 (Misc.)]
Sir: On the 13th of July last the
representatives of Great Britain, France, Germany, and America
addressed a communication to H. I. H. Prince Ch’ing, requesting him
to obtain imperial sanction for the loan agreement of the 6th of
June, 1909, for the construction of the Hupei-Hunan section of the
Hankow-Canton Railway and of the Hupei section of the
Hankow-Szechuen Railway, together with the supplementary agreement
providing for the participation in the loan of an American group, in
order that the said agreements may be definitely signed and put into
operation.
A reply to this identic note has now been received from the Wai-wu
Pu, stating that after the death of the grand secretary, Chang
Chih-tung, an imperial decree was issued transferring the matter of
the loan to the board of communications, who were ordered to make
proper arrangements. The identic note has therefore been transmitted
by the Wai-wu Pu to the board of communications for their
information and for them to arrange matters; and the Wai-wu Pu now
requests that the representatives of the banks may be notified to
negotiate the matter satisfactorily direct with the board of
communications.
I have therefore to inform you that you are authorized, in
conjunction with the representatives of the other banks, to place
yourself in communication with the Yu-chuan-pu, for the purpose of
discussion, within the terms prescribed by the identic note of the
13th of July, the formalities necessary for the definite completion
of the two agreements referred to.
I am, etc.,
