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Race 19 MAR 06 379
em Governor Sir M.Nathan to the Earl of
(Received, Colonial Office, 5.20.p.m18th March, 1906.)
57 160
Your despatch of 8th February. In spite of official in- structions from (Waiwupu?) the Viceroy of Canton sannot be induced to negotiate with regard to Canton-Kowloon Railway. The time seems to have come for His Majesty's Government to make the strongest possible representations to the Chinese Government even to the extent of urging the removal of the Canton Viceroy and reminding it of how in 1899 it became necessary to occupy Sham Chun beyon the New Territories of Hong Kong, on account of the duplicity of the then Viceroy of Canton.
It should be pointed out that this Government has every desire to uphold Chinese Sovereign rights and that it has given striking proof of this desire by advano- ing money for the redemption of the Canton-Hankow Railway and that it would, in the case of the Canton-Kowloon Railway, accept any reasonable modification of the pre- liminary agreement which may be arranged in friendly negotiations between the corporation and the authorities, but that His Majesty's Government being confident that the Government of China desire to give effect to their above-mentioned solemn engagement, cannot accept any further delay in the negotiations for the construction of this railway.
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