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the facts and documents relating to the concessions
they wish to annul, when the difficulties of the course
they were urging would be apparent.
I recommended a firmer stand on the part of the
Central Government and recalled the events of 1900
which followed from a weak and 111-judged temporising
with a popular movement.
there was nothing to prevent the provincee from mov-
ing further and denouncing the loan contracte. I
could not acquit Shêng of a share in this agitation
and expressed the opinion that his was a sinister in-
fluence in railway undertakings.
In this His Excellency fully concurred and said
that Sheng'e niemanagement of the Lu-han Railway was
Bource of many embarrassments to the Chinese
While recognising the truth
the
Government.
of much that His Excellency said, I pointed out that
it was none the less difficult for me to explain to
His Majesty's Government the written communications of
the Wal- Wu-Pu, which in point of reason were not defensible.
I had asked for the appointment of a negotiator to
carry out the terms of the preliminary agreement for
the Canton-Kowloon Railway, and was told in reply that
the Cantonese wished to build the railway themselves:
and as for the Soochow-Hangchow-Ningpo railway agree-
ment I was informed officially that Shêng, acting under
Imperial instructions, had called upon the British and
Chinese Corporation to cancel it. Proceedings of this
unreasonable type were bound to give rise to serious
distrust in foreign countries. If demands for the
forced abrogation of such agreements were listened to,
He assured me that the Viceroy of Can-
ton had been asked by the Wal. Wu-Pu to enter into
negotiations with the British and Chinese Corpora-
tion, and when I pointed out that the Viceroy had
made no sign of doing so, said that the delay was
Probably due to the Viceroy's ill-health. He de-
clared the Wai-Wu-Pu innocent of any knowledge of
the Decree charging Sheng with the cancelling of the
Socchow-Hangchow-Ningpo Agreement, which had been en-
gineered by Sheng and had come down through the
Grand Council, and suggested that it might help mat-
ters if called on His Excellency Chu Hung-chi (a
president of the Wai- Wu-Pu who is also a member of
the Grand Council) and had a private talk with him
there
about