§ MR. PROVAND (Glasgow, Blackfriars)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, since the German occupation of Kiao-chau the German Minister at Pekin has protested against the concession for the railway from Pekin to Chinkiang being granted, or any grant already made being confirmed, to anyone not being a German, because the line will pass through a part of the province of Shan-tung; whether, at a meeting of the foreign consuls at Chefoo, to arrange for an extension of the foreign settlement at that place, the German Consul protested against any enlargement of the settle- 663 meat on the ground that it would be an infringement of German rights in the province of Shan-tung; whether Her Majesty's Minister at Pekin has protested against, or in any way recognised, these claims on the part of the German Minister and Consul; and whether, in view of the favoured-nation clause in the Treaty of Tien-tsin, which provides that the British Government and its subjects will be allowed free and equal participation in all privileges, immunities, and advantages that may have been or may be hereafter granted by His Majesty the Emperor of China to the Government or subjects of any other nation, the Government propose to take any steps in the matter?
MR. CURZONSir C. MacDonald telegraphed on the 18th of February that the German Minister had opposed a scheme for a trunk railway from Tientsin to Chinkiang, on the ground that no railway could be constructed in the province of Shan-tung without an arrangement with Germany. A protest was at once made at Pekin on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, and also to the German Government through Her Majesty's Ambassador at Berlin. Thereupon Herr von Bulow addressed a memorandum to Her Majesty's Government, of which the following is the text—
The report which has reached Her Britannic Majesty's Government from Pekin, to the effect that Germany has raised objections there to the Chinese scheme for the construction of a railway from Tien-tsin, through Shan-tung, to Chinkiang, and that these objections were based upon the assertion that in the above-named Chinese province no railway could be constructed without the permission of Germany, is not in accordance with facts. There is also no foundation for the statement that the Imperial Minister at Pekin had threatened serious consequences in the event of this claim not being admitted. The demand put forward by the Imperial German Government at Pekin Was merely to the effect that, should the Chinese Government desire to obtain foreign assistance for the construction of railways within the limits of the province of Shan-tung, they should, in the first instance, offer the work and supplies connected therewith, to German industry and German trade. The Imperial Government, true to their principles, have not claimed any exclusive privileges from China, and have made no attempt to exclude other nations from free competition in the province of shan-tung.664 No information has been received at the Foreign Office of any such claim having been made by the German Consul at Chefoo as is referred to.
§ MR. YERBURGH (Chester)May I ask the right honourable Gentleman whether the concession was successfully carried through or not, and, if it fell through, what was the ground of its, falling through?
MR. CURZONI am not aware that any concession has fallen through. Is the honourable Gentleman asking whether a concession has been given?
§ MR. YERBURGHI am asking whether a concession was granted, and whether it has been withdrawn, and why?
§ MR. YERBURGHThe concession for a trunk line from Pekin to Chinkiang.