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far as his Company is concerned such is not the case and that
the report as to Russian purchases of American shares in the
Company is without foundation.
7.
Wherever the truth may lie one fact is I
think certain. It is that money for the building of the Hankow-
Canton line is difficult to obtain at the present time in
America where, owing to large losses in recent financial
speculations, money is tight.
And this fact tempts me to make the sug-
gestion, though it be in a matter not strictly within my pro-
vince, that His Majesty's Goverment would do well to acquire
a substantial interest in the Hankow-Canton Railway besides
pushing the construction of the connecting link between the
latter place and this Colony. It requires no great prescience
to foresee that unless the system of Chinese Government under-
goes radical reform this Colony will in course of years com-
prise a much larger portion of the neighbouring Empire than
it has already absorbed. This Colony is in its infancy and it
were well to take while opportunity still offers every step
that forethought can suggest to keep the way open for that development which must be far-reaching if it is not strangled
by foreign competition.
I have the honour to be,
sit,
Your most obedient
Humble servant,
I Ukay Amaz
Huay
Officer
Administering the Government.