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Sir E. Satow to the Marquess of Lansdowne.—(Received September 30.) (No. 296.) My Lord,
I HAVE the honour to inclose herewith extract of an intelligence report from His Majesty's Consul at Wuchow, relating to French schemes and industrial undertakings in Canton.
Peking, August 14, 1901.
I have, &c. (Signed)
ERNEST SATOW.
Inclosure in No. 2.
Extract from Wuchow Intelligence Report, July 18, 1901.
FRENCH schemes in Canton.
Early in May the Prefect of Wuchow received from the Governor-General of Canton a communication inclosing copies of a despatch from the French Consul there and the Viceroy's reply thereto concerning certain schemes submitted by the former. Among these were comprised the construction of tramways, waterworks, and river embankments at Canton, the exploitation of coal, silver, and lead mines at the mouth of the North River in the neighbourhood of Sainam (Samshui), and the construction of a railway from Canton to Wuchow, all to be undertaken by joint French, Belgian, and Chinese syndicates. Of these schemes the first three were dismissed by the Viceroy as unnecessary or already undertaken by native capitalists. With regard to the fourth the Viceroy, writing in March, states that when peace is concluded China will certainly proceed energetically with the exploitation of mines, and in the event of any...