9F THE
*
1283 33
C. 0.
The British and Chinese Corporation, LIMITED. 510
PRINTE
たな
EASTER:
No.08
LONIAL
OFFIC
The Under Secretary of State,
Colonial Office, S.W.
24253
Red 9 JUL 04
3, Lombard Street, London, E.C.
July 8th, 1904.
Dear Sir,
The Directors have carefully considered your letter of the 24th June, No. 19795/1904, and I shall endeavour to reply to the various points raised in their order in as full a manner as possible.
Paragraphs 2 & 3.
From these paragraphs the Directors gather that the proposal made in the Corporation's letter of the 3rd June that the management of the Kowloon-Canton line should be placed in the hands of a Board does not meet with approval, but while in some degree concurring in the views expressed, the Directors do not feel that their opinion formerly stated in reference to control should be departed from in principle. While saying this, however, I would mention that the Directors are desirous of finding a solution of the question best calculated to facilitate the raising of the necessary capital and assuring the success of the line.
In paragraph 3 of your letter, it is stated that the Corporation will probably agree that the success of the line to be constructed is dependent on its being continued through British territory into a sea terminus at Kowloon, and that the Corporation may find in certain contingencies the necessity of having recourse to the good offices of His Majesty's Government in order to ensure that the preliminary agreement shall be replaced by a definite undertaking by the Chinese Government, and that, in view of these facts, the Corporation will no doubt be prepared as far as possible to meet the views of His Majesty's Government.
Page 116