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As I observed in my despatch No. 906, it would be obviously advantageous to the mercantile community here, and indeed to all Europeans having relations with China, that the inland Telegraphic Lines of the Chinese Empire should be in the hands not of private and isolated Chinese Companies, such as Wo Hop, but of a department of the Imperial Government, which would be able to enforce a uniform system, and would be in a position to negotiate successfully with the European Submarine Telegraph Companies.
6. The progress and condition of the overland lines already created between Tientsin and Shanghai, and elsewhere in the interior of China, can best be ascertained through the British Minister at Peking. It may here be mentioned, however, that I had recently a very interesting conversation on this subject with Li Hung Chang, the Viceroy of the 8 Metropolitan...