l'ordre télégraphique d'amener les militaires russes, qui se trouvaient à son bord, immédiatement à Saïgon. En présence de cette ordre catégorique, le capitaine Senes résolut de lever l'ancre le lendemain matin et de mettre le cap directement sur Saïgon, en ne s'arrêtant à Shanghaï que pour un court délai de temps, afin de m'y déposer, avec tout le personnel de la légation, notre vice-consul et les membres de la colonie russe de Séoul et de Tchémoulpo. Pour conclure, je ne puis m'empêcher de rappeler l'attention sincère et chaleureuse et le concours zélé dont ont été l'objet pendant ces moments difficiles nos marins, le personnel de la légation impériale et tous les Russes partis avec nous et leurs familles, de la part du chargé d'affaires de France le vicomte de Fontenay, du consul de France M. Berthauld, de M. Brudier, attaché à la légation de France, du commandant, du premier officier et de tous les officiers en second du croiseur Pascal, qui tous nous ont rendu des services inappréciables. Non moins dignes d'attention sont les services qui nous ont été rendus par les commandants du croiseur anglais le capitaine de vaisseau Bayly et du croiseur italien Elba, le capitaine de vaisseau marquis Borea, ainsi que par tous les officiers et les équipages de ces deux navires de guerre étrangers. Lettre du contre-amiral Ouriou au capitaine Roudniew, commandant du « Variague » Sir, Tchémoulpo, 27 janvier (8 février) 1904. As hostilities exist between the Government of Japan and the Government of Russia at present, I respectfully demand you to leave the port of Chemulpo with the Force under your command before the noon of the ninth of February 1904. Otherwise, I should be obliged to fight against you in the port. Lettre du premier secrétaire de la légation du Japon au chargé d'affaires de France Séoul, 29 janvier (10 février) 1904. M. Hayashi étant engagé ce soir, il m'a donné l'ordre pour vous écrire un petit mot, parce que, ce que vous avez demandé par votre lettre officielle étant bien pressant, il désire de vous communiquer aussitôt que possible de son idée. Il vous écrira demain matin officiellement. M. Hayashi s'est convenu tout bien avec les propositions de votre part, excepté ce qui concerne le bâtiment et terrain de la légation de Russie. Pour cela M. Hayashi attend toujours pour l'instruction de Tokio et il préparera toutes les choses nécessaires pour le départ de S. Exc. M. Pavlow. Lettre du chargé d'affaires de France au conseiller d'Etat actuel Pavlow Séoul, 29 janvier (10 février) 1904. J'ai rencontré ce matin M. Hayashi, ministre du Japon, qui m'a dit qu'il se rendait chez moi à la légation de France où il désirerait m'entretenir de la situation. Nous n'étions pas loin de la légation du Japon, je lui propo sais donc d'entrer chez lui afin d'éviter toute perte de temps. M. Hayashi après avoir exprimé des regrets sur la cruelle nécessité d'une guerre me dit que les circonstances ne lui permettant pas de traiter directement avec vous, il venait me communiquer les instructions qu'il avait reçues de son gouvernement et d'après lesquelles il devait vous inviter à vous retirer de Corée. Après entente avec vous, vous m'avez autorisé à faire savoir à M. Hayashi que vous consentiez à quitter la Corée en emmenant avec vous tous les membres de la légation et votre garde personnelle de 60 marins et cosaques environ. Je proposais alors au ministre du Japon de vous faire reconduire tous jusqu'à Tchéfou par le croiseur français le Pascal et M. Hayashi accepta avec empressement cette combinaison. Je lui ai dit que vous me confieriez la protection des intérêts russes en Corée, et la garde de l'immeuble qui appartient au gouvernement impérial et je lui indiquai, à ce propos, mon intention d'y arborer le pavillon français et de placer à la porte un poste de marins français. J'ai reçu ce soir la réponse ci-jointe de M. Hagivara, premier secrétaire de la légation du Japon, en attendant celle du ministre lui-même. Vous verrez que tous les arrangements pris par moi ont été acceptés, c'est-à-dire votre départ vendredi matin par train spécial, votre embar'quement à bord du Pascal, et votre transfert à Tchéfou, enfin la garantie de votre sécurité prise par le ministre du Japon au nom de son gouvernement depuis la légation jusqu'à Tchéfou. Lettre du ministre du Japon au chargé d'affaires de France I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your note dated yesterday with reference to the matter of the departure from Séoul of His Excellency the Russian Minister with his staff and guards in pursuance of the conversation we made in that morning and accepting the proposals you were good enough to make for me. You inform me that the Russian Minister intends to leave Seoul on Friday morning in order to embark on board the French chip Pascal at Chemulpo. In reply I beg you to be good enough to intimate to the Russian Minister that special train will be provided this afternoon at five o'clock at the West-gate Station and that the train will leave at 8.35 a. m. to mor row. I have requested General Iditti to accompany the Russian Minister to Chemulpo and have also requested the General in command of our forces to have guards stationed at platform at railway stations both at Seoul and Chemulpo in order to assure the safety of Monsieur Pavlow and his suite. With respect to the wishes of the Russian Minister that the Pascal will carry with him to Chefoo the wounded Russian officers and sailors of the wrecked ships, I am not yet in possession of any authority of my Government. I wish therefore that the Pascal will not leave Chemulpo until the arrangement is settled. I think Monsieur Pavlaw can wait without much inconvenience on board the ship for a day or two before he leaves for Chefoo until this is arranged. My letter to the Japanese naval commander – will follow so that the commander of the Pascal may show his mission whenever required. I have also no objection to the Russian Legation being placed under French Protection and to your placing small number of watch-men or guards in it. I have to thank you for your kind offices in the matter and hope you will be so good as to convey my best wishes to my friends who are to leave. I avail myself, etc. (Signé): G. HAYASHI. GRANDE-BRETAGNE - FRANCE Dépêche à l'Ambassadeur de Sa Majesté britannique, à Paris, transmettant les conventions entre la Grande-Bretagne et la France ('). (8 avril 1904) Despatch to His Majesty's Ambassador at Paris forwarding Agreements between Great Britain and France of Avril 8, 1904 (*). Sir, Texte anglais (3) THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE TO SIR E. MONSON Foreiga Office, April 8, 1904. I have from time to time kept your Excellency fully informed of the progress of my negotiations with the French Ambassador for the complete settlement of a series of important questions in which the interests of Great Britain and France are involved. These negociations commenced in the spring of last year, and have been continued with but slight interruptions up to the present time. Such a settlement was notoriously desired on both sides of the Channel, and the movement in its favour received a powerful impulse from the visit paid to France by His Majesty King Edward VII in May last and by the return visit of President Loubet to this country. Upon the latter occasion, the President was accompagnied by the distinguished Statesman who has so long presided over the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is a matter for congratulation that his presence afforded to His Majesty's Government the great advantage of a full and frank exchange of ideas. It left us in no doubt that a settlement of the kind which both Governments desired, and one which would be mutually advantageous to both countries, was within our reach. The details of the questions at issue have since been examined in confidential discussions with the French Ambassador, to whose personal knowledge of many of the points involved and wide diplomatic experience it is largely due that I am now able to announce to you the Agreement which has been arrived at. I inclose copies of the Convention and Declarations which were signed to-day by his Excellency and myself. Among the questions which it has been our duty to examine, that of the position of Great Britain in Egypt and of France in Morocco have necessarily occupied a foremost place. (1) Cf. texte des conventions Arch. dipl. 1903, N° 4, t. 90, p. 413 et suiv. (2) France, no 1 (1904) (Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of His Majesty, April 1904). (3) La traduction française paraîtra dans les Arch. Dipl., incessamment. From a British point of view there is no more remarkable episode in recent history than that which concerns the establishment and the gradual development of British influence in Egypt. Our occupation of that country, at first regarded as temporary, has by the force of circumstances become firmly established. Under the guidance o the eminent public Servant who has for the last twenty years represented His Majesty's Government in that country, Egypt has advanced by rapid strides along the path of financial and material prosperity. The destruction of the power of the Mahdi and the annexation of the Soudan have increased that influence and added to the stability of our occupation. But while these developments have, in fact, rapidly modified the international situation in Egypt, the financial and administrative system which prevails is a survival of an order of things which no longer exists, and is not only out of date but full of inconvenience to all concerned. It is based on the very elaborate and intricate provisions of the Law of Liquidation of 1880, and the London Convention of 1885. With the financial and material improvement of Egypt, these provisions have become a hindrance instead of an aid to the development of the resources of the country. The friction, inconvenience, and actual loss to the Egyptian Treasury which it has occasioned have been pointed out by Lord Cromer on many occasions in his annual Reports. It is well described in the folloving passage which occurs in Lord Milner's standard work on Egypt : The spectacle of Egypt, with her Treasury full of money, yet not >> allowed to use that money for an object which, on a moderate calcula>>tion, should add 20 per cent. to the wealth of the country, is as distressing >> as it is ludicrous. Every year that passes illustrates more forcibly the >> injustice of maintaining, in these days of insured solvency, the restictions >> imposed upon the financial freedom of the Egyptian Government at a » time of bankruptcy-restrictions justifiable then, but wholly unjustifia» ble now. No one would object to the continuance of the arrangement >> by which certain revenues are paid in the first instance to the Caisse » de la Dette. But as long as these revenues suffice to cover the inte>> rest on the Debt and to provide any sinking fund which the Powers may » deem adequate, the balance ought simply to be handed over to the Egyp» tian Government to deal with as it pleases, and the antiquated distinction >> of authorized' and 'unauthorised' expenditure should be swept away. » No reform is more necessary than this, if the country is to derive the >> greatest possible benefit from the improved condition of its finances >> which has been attained by such severe privations. >> The functions of the Caisse, originally limited to receiving certain assigned revenues on behalf of the bondholders, have in practice become much more extensive. Its members have claimed to control, on behalf of the Powers of Europe, the due execution by the Egyptian Government of all the complicated international Agreements regarding the finances of the country. Their assent is necessary before any new loan can be issued. No portion of the General Reserve Fund can be used without their sanction; and all assigned revenues are paid directly to them by the collecting Departments without passing through the Ministry of Finance. In the same way, the receipts of the railways, telegraphs, and port of Alexandria, administered by a Board consisting of three members-an Englishmau, a Frenchman, and an Egyptian-are paid, after deduction of the expenses, into the Caisse. |