[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
364
SOUTH-WEST CHINA,
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. L.
[July 19.]
SECTION 1.
Sir E. Satow to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received July 19.)
(No. 202.) My Lord,
Peking, June 2, 1904.
I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Lordship herewith a copy of a despatch which I have received from His Majesty's Consul-General at Chengtu, reporting on affairs in Szechuan and Thibet.
I have, &c. (Signed)
ERNEST SATOW.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Consul-General Hosie to Sir E. Satow.
(No. 12.) Sir,
Chengtu, May 4, 1904.
IN my despatch No. 10 of the 9th ultimo I stated that the Chengtu-Hankow Railway scheme had not advanced beyond the establishment of a Railway Department with a decorative signboard. I am well acquainted with one of the members of the Railway Committee, and as I frequently meet him I never fail to ask him as to the progress of the scheme. His answer invariably is that, although a member of the Committee, he is never consulted, and that the matter is left entirely in the hands of the Judicial Commissioner, who is supposed to be drawing up regulations or a prospectus for raising share capital.
In the course of a conversation which I had with the Viceroy lately, I took the opportunity of referring to the trade of the province, to the heavy prices of all foreign goods here, and to the benefits which his proposed railway, by reducing the cost of freight, would confer on the consumers; but, while freely admitting the difficulties under which foreign import trade at present labours, he became silent as soon as reference was made to the matter of the railway. Other officials speak of the hopelessness of China constructing the line unaided, and merchants do not hesitate to hint that the Viceroy's proposal is simply intended to block foreign railway enterprise. Against this, however, has to be put the selection and dispatch, within the last few days, of fourteen young men to Belgium, to be trained in railway and mining matters at provincial expense. I am inclined to think, however, that this has been done to enable the Viceroy to report that steps are being taken in furtherance of his scheme, should inconvenient questions be addressed to the Central Government. As over 90 per cent. in value of foreign imports into Szechuan by way of the Yang-tsze are of British and Indian origin, improved means of transport is of special interest to us, and I would venture to suggest that inquiry should be made at Peking as to the progress of the Viceroy's scheme. The latter is, in my opinion, far beyond the capability of the provincial authorities, and the great preponderance of our foreign goods trade would seem to justify us in asking that it should either be carried out without delay, or set aside for something more feasible. If allowed to rest where it is, it will drag on for years, and even then the result will be nil.
M. le Vicomte Foy, accompanied by a M. Baillu, who has been travelling in the East as a correspondent of “Le Matin,” and now accompanies the former to write an account of his travels, arrived here on the 24th ultimo from Canton, whence he journeyed up the West River to Wuchow, and, passing through Kuei-lin, the capital of Kwangsi, and the Province of Kueichow, struck the Yang-tsze at Chungking. From the latter place they came overland to Chengtu. They had previously travelled overland—by rail where available—from Peking to Hankow, and from Hankow to Canton.
M. Foy informed me that his father is largely interested in the Peking-Hankow line, and that he made this overland journey to be able to report on the progress of the work.
He stated that, although defeated at the last general election in France, he hoped to be elected Deputy two years hence, and that he was now preparing...
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