ONFIDENTIA L.
Hongkong.
·1413.
Government House,
Hongkong, 10th. December, 1903.
185
sir,
PRINTER
FOR USE
EASTERN
No. 88
COLONIAL OFFICE
I have the honour to inform you that prior
to the departure of Sir Henry Blake, I attended in an entirely
unofficial capacity the ceremony of opening a railway line
from Canton to a large town 12 miles distant called Fatshan,
which has been constructed as a branch line by the American
China Development Company which is constructing the railway
from Hankow to Canton.
3.
On that occasion I met the Secretary (Mr.
Brice) and the Superintending Engineer (Mr. Gray) of the Com-
pany in question. These gentlemen, recognising that the success
of the Hankow-Canton Railway depends in a large measure on its
connection by railway with the sea, were most anxious to learn
what prospect there was of the British and Chinese Corporation
who have been granted, as you are doubtless aware, a concession
from the Chinese Government for the building of a railway from
Hongkong to Canton, beginning to construct this latter line."
I was given to understand that the American Company desired
so much to see this line built that they were prepared to make
the British and Chinese Corporation an offer to either take
over their concession and build the line, or to lease the line
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
ALFRED LYTTELTON, M.P.,
for
280 ..
800...