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Mr. BEICE said-Ladies and gentlemen. I am in no sense a speaker, and I do not wish to mar the enjoyment of this afternoon by asking you to listen to more than a very few remarks I have to make as the representative of the American company which has undertaken the building of this railway for the Chinese Government. I feel that I must in propriety, say one or two words and in the midst of the general festivity I hope you will pardon me if they are of a somewhat serious nature. The fact is that this event, the opening of a few miles of railway in Southern China, has in my opinion, a very serious aspect. There is a dignity, a solemnity underlying the occasion, which perhaps you have all felt in a vague sort of manner, but which may be expressed clearly and emphatically if only for a fleeting moment. This short line of railway you have seen to-day is but the beginning of a longer line, the great tinnk lite which, in the near future, if all goes well, will penetrato the heart of Southern China and connect two of her greatest commercial cities-Canton in the South and Hankow in the North. This means a great step forward in the progress of China toward that stupendous wealth in commerce which is her natural beritage and which those who wish her well already anticipate as the near Golden Age. But beyond this more immediate and more obrious result, there is one of even greater significance. The railway system of this country
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
F. H. May to speak, facetiously remarking that he hoped Mr. May would tell them something about the Kowloon-Canton railway project. "I want to say," the Chairman added, "that when the first train comes in from Kowloon to Canton I shall be in forefront waving the Britian flag to my friend, Mr. May, who I hope, will be one its first passengers. (Applause).
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November 21, 1903.
of the Kowloon-Canton Railway of the futur (Loud applause).
His Excellency CHANG CHEN-HSEN, late director of_the_Land Department, Canton, (s metropolitan officer with the honorary title of Vice-President of a board), delivered a speech in Chinese, which was afterwards translated into English in the following terms by Taotsi Liang, who was educated in Queen's College Hongkong:-Ladies and gentlemen, His Ex- cellency says that he feels greatly honoured by the kind invitation of Mr Gray, the General Manager and Chief Engineer of the Yuen-Han line, aud all the Directors, and Taotai Lí, to attend the opening of the section of the line between Canton and Fatshan. His Excellency cannot allow such a great occasion to pass off without making a few remarks upon the history and success of this enterprise. It was about six years ago that His Excellency Sheng Kung-pao took up the question of building the line, and
were gratified by seeing the entered int between the Chinese Govern. ment and the American China Development Co. The construction of the line was actually com- menced about a year ago, and His Excellency Chang, who is connected with the enterprise in the capacity of land director, is glad to say that he has met with great success in purchasing the land for the line, of course, by the voluntary assistance of the local officials and the native gentry generally. It will be needless, His Excellency says, for him speak of the great & country like importance of a railway in China with so much wealth and so large a population. The section which has now been completed is only 104 miles, and under the very able management of Mr. Gray, who has an afficient force of engineers and men of other сара
Wo
contract
A great one, there is in it a missing link that awaits closing up and forging by my Br tish friends who have been messing about it
The CHAIRMAN remarked that the Irishe for years-completion of this great trunk railway
story related by Mr. May was very pretty and to Hankow by building the line from Canton to
pat," but as Mr. May bad omitted do so, Kowloon which they have a concession for, and
he would take the opportunity of giving it a which we do for Hongkong more than any one
local application by saying that he sincerely thing that can be done for it in a commercial
hoped the people who had the concession for way (Applause), I have pleasure in intro- Hon. F. H. MAY said :-Mr. Gray, your Ex- the line from Kowloon to Canton would build ducing to you Mr W. Kirkpatrick Brice, the cellency, ladies and gentlemen, I am afraid that railway in the very near future or “bust son of the late Hon. Calvin Brice, who repre- that I stand before you rather in the posi(Laughter and applause). sents our President, Mr, Barolay Parsons, beretion of an impostor. I was asked this morning to-day (Applause).
by Mr. Gray to make a few remarks, but I have very little to tell you. I might perhaps inform you of a few things you may not know, and I certainly would like to tell you a good deal that I know, but I am afraid that, being in the position I hold, I cannot let myself go. Some people say that some of the happiest moments of our lives are those that we live in the pleasant recollections of the past. Now, that has not been my fortune. I have only been at one opening of a railway before the one in which we have taken part to-day. It was the opening of a small branch railway in Ireland. in the county of Meath, and I was sitting in the carriage next the engine with a friend of mine when the train brought up. We sat for some moments and then, as it did not go on, we look. ed out of the window, and I saw the engine. driver inspecting his engine all ever, and theu I saw bim climb up again into his place, and his stoker said to him, 'Mickie, what aila her at all?" "I don't know, Pat," said Mickie, "what ails her: but I know this, I will drive her or bust her." (Laughter). And you may imagine ny feelings when he put o fall steam, and he did "bust " her. Fortunately, the explosion was not a serious one, but I and the rest of the occupants of the train had to walk home (laughter. How would you have liked to have walked back to-day from Fatshan? I imagine you would have got here very thirsty. Things have been managed better by Mr. Gray and his colleagues whose arrangements have been admirable and who on which the Government bas embarked with a seem to have ingratiated themselves with the few misgivings and an occasional backward step native population, who greeted us to-day with will do more to unify the nation and make it nothing but smiles and acclamation. I see strong than all the frets and armies which her my friend, Mr. Reid, very busy with his pencil, countles population could assemble (hear, hear, and I know every hing that we have done and applause). I need not remind an American aul said to-day will be duly recorded in that it is our network of railways aboro ali the daily papers to-morrow or the next day, which has gathered together the diverse and and when I see myself surrounded by some of distant sections of our big laud and held them the brightest spirits of Hougkong and Canton, firmly united, which enabled a medley of and an abundance of those material spirits that discordant stat s to grow into a strong nation gladden the heart of man, and the galaxy of
Hon. GERSHOM STEWART, who was also (applaus ). And γρα representatives of youth and beauty that is gathered here from the called upon to speak, observed that the future European nations, you will, I have no doubt, Colony and Shameen. I feel sure that some critic of the trade of China and Hongkong was most. agres that railways have been amongst the most will ask, Why did Mr. Gray choose the Sab-intimately associated with the construction of potent factors in preserving the peace of bath day for the inauguration of his railway?" railroads in the Great Empire of China, and Europe. I should like to emphasise on this I think you will find the answer in the eloquent such influence as he possessed he would use to occasion that we desire all of us, I believe, with- remarks made by Mr. Brice, who has told promote the furtherance of railway construction cut exception to
China unified and us, and I heartily agree with him, that in China, especially the line between Canton strengthened, so that
nothing could tear this is a very important enterprise; it is and Kowloon. her sunder, and wish to see ber live long | no small child's play. It is Я serious in her strength and be a friend among the national and international u dertaking (haar, natious. And one word in particular to hear), and you all know the old saying, "The guests, the representatives better the day, the better the deed (applause). of the Chin-se Government. We
Ame- So, in my opinion, Mr. Gray was well advised ricans have come among you to held you in choosing the best day of the week for the in your progr-88. We come peacefully and we best day's work that has been done in and mean to do justly with you and your people, around Canton for many years (applause), (Applause). We are still at the beginnig of Mr. Gray has emphasised the importance our great work. Doubtless some misunder- of linking up the Hankow-Canton Railway standings may arise in the future as they have with Kowloon. I will say this much, that unfortunately arisen in the past, but we wish one of my dreams of the near future-I am -again to assure you that it is our desire to det rather a man that lives i the future—
in harmony with your customs and to do uo is to ride on
that 8-if-same link, and violen e to your sentiments, I return, we ask I hope that Mr. Gray, as he says, will be there
When some indulgence from you because we have much tos.
first came to Hongkong some to learn, and we come with a new idea startling twenty years ago, she was a mere child, in its novelty aud by its very nature revolution have seen her grow through her teens," and, in ary. But I believe that with this earnest effort 1899, she blossomed into full womanhood, by both of us to show consideration each for the blessed with that acquisition which all mothers other we shall get along most admirably and be. prize best of all others, that is a healthy and come most excellent friends (hear, hear, and thriving offspring. That offspring is called the applause), I ask you all to join me in a toast to New Territory, and without development it! the Cuinese Empire and its youngest railway; cannot thrive any more than this vast empire¡ (Applause).
can. We want a railway to make it thrive; we are closely bound together with our Chinese friends, belonging to the vast Chinese Empire that lies so close to our borders, but we are not bound close enough. We like them so much; we gain so much from our intercourse with them that we want a still closer bond, and that bond is the iron road (applause). Ladies and gentlemen, I drink to the health
Our
honoured
B00
Mr. Robi, MoWADE, Consul-General of the United- &tates, next addressed a few humorous remarks to to assembly and said be was proud to be present on so potable an occasiou and to congratulate Mr. Gray and the company he represented upon the progress that had already been made with the enterprise.
The CHAIRMAN next called upon the Hon.
I
iti 8, for whom His Excellency entertains the greatest respect, His Excellency is suro that the whole line-about 1,000 miles long— will be completed with the same success (ap- plause). His Excellency therefore requests you, gentlemen, to join him in drinking to the success and prosperity of the Canton-Bankow Railway (Applause).
Herr EWALD, German Consul-General of Canton. in the absence of Mr James Scolt. the British Consul-General and doyen of the Ho Consular Body in Canton, next spoke. joined issue with Mr. Brice's statement that were the best and strongest railways factors in unifying
Being a German, he would dare to say that there were other factors of the same im.ortance and, according to his view, the Army and Navy of a nation were the most important.
8 nation.
Commodore Robinson, and Captain Ander- son, U.S.N, as representatives of the Navy, added their congratulations upon the progress made with the railway.
The CHAIRMAN remarked that unfortunately the taipan of the local American firm interested in the railway (Messrs. Shewan, Tomes and Co.,) had been suddenly stricken with loss of voice, and it naturally fell upon his next in command to say something for the firm. pleasure to call upon Mr. Richard Hancock, a British subject, to tell the assembly all he knew about American commerce in China-(Laughter and applause).
It was his
Mr HANCOCK, instead, took the opportunity to propose the health of Mr. and Mrs. Gray and family, a toast which was received with musical honours and the utmost enthusiasm,
Mr. GRAY, in a few appropriate words, ac knowledged the compliment, observing that whatever little success he had achieved in life he owed to his wife's good advice and watchfulness.
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