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176 The· Ruby Mines of Burma.
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for
the concession were laid before the House of Commons. He made no
application until March, 1886, and then "presented himself to the Chief
Commissioner of Burma as the agent of a Syndicate in Paris, and as the
mouthpiece of certain unnamed European capitalists." These words are
quoted from a telegram from the Viceroy to Lord Cross, dated June 5,
1887, and this same telegram, referring to the conditional agreement
with our Syndicate, concluded with the noteworthy expression : " We see
no just grounds for cancelling this agreement." But strangely enough,
Lord Cross, the Secretary of State, thereupon telegraphed to the
Viceroy : " Make no arrangement with anyone without sanction from
home." It is difficult to reconcile such instructions from Lord Cross
with the statement in Lord Harris's letter to me that the concession
was " a matter for the Government of India to decide ! "
It
was naturally with much surprise and disappointment that we found the
India Office suddenly adopting a new policy, and practically cancelling
the action of the Viceroy, Lord Dufferin. The fact seemed to be ignored
that we had obtained the conditional concession simply because we had
made the highest tender. The suspicion of a " job " having been
perpetrated was utterly groundless. After our tender had been accepted
in India, we had incurred extremely heavy financial responsibilities,
whilst our representatives, who had gone as pioneers to the mines, went
under conditions of great difficulty and danger, to the injury of their
health, and at the imminent peril of their lives. Yet all our claims,
legal and moral, were suddenly ignored by the Government at home !
It is pleasing to record that on the official publication of the correspondence in the " Blue Books," public
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