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Agriculture, Indistry Railways and Mines in the Kwang
Tung, Kwang-Si and Fo Kien Provinces. This despatch
had previo suly apie ared in one of the Chinese news –
pabers of this colony and I have no reason to doubt
its genuineness It shows that the Chinese recognise
that the railway must now be constructed but they want
to do it with funds raised by themselves, to make
their own arrangements for the construction of the line
in and to keep all property in it/their own hands.
A This attitude gives force to the suggestion
contained in the 6th paragraph of my despatch to you
of the 22nd September on which suggestion I hope you
have seen fit to act.
5. I may mention that in a conversation with
Sir Paul Charter, Kt., C.M.G., M.5.0., this morning
in the course of which reference was made to the
Canton letter in "The Hong Kong Daily Press" he stcgest-
ed of his own accord that the construction of the
Chinese section of the railway might be facilitatod
if the British and Chinese Corporation abandoned their
concession and thought it not unlikely that they would
be prepared to do this on repayment of out-of-pocket
expenses. Mr C.W.Dickson, H.D.C., the present Manager
of Jardine Matheson and Co. at Hongkong is known to be
indifferent to theconcession. I have not however
thought it advisable to discuss the matter with him,
and until I know your views on the suggestion referred
to in paragraph 4 above I shall do whatever is in my
pover to press on the completion of the aprecments of
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