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loan were needed, the whole thing fell to the ground.
The question of borrowing or no was left to the general voice subject to Their Majesties' decision. When discussion came on action was quite untrammelled.
Now it is decided to build without raising foreign loans. On the Wai Wu Pu's telegram of 28th of moon reaching Hupei, memorialist replied on 29th "Declaration not to borrow involves no difficulty, the decision lies with us and there will be no complication at all”.
At present the loan proposal has long faded away, there is perfect tranquillity and utter absence of consequences.
At this moment the sole trouble is provision of funds.
Yet the censor ignoring the difficulties and without enquiry into the facts devotes himself to making the worst of acts and ingenious slanders, relies on an abandoned proposal as a subject for defamatory libel. That he is evidently actuated by a fixed purpose Their Majesties will of course have perceived.
Whether memorialist's management of this matter was good or bad he need not argue since above there is the perspicacity of the Court, below the public opinion of the gentry and people of the three provinces as well as of the men of the empire.
On him decrepit and commonplace was bestowed the Order to see to the cancelling of the concession.
As happily this road has been got back, anxiety and indignation have been somewhat allayed, fault and responsibility slightly diminished.
He begs leave to add that as to the future work of constructing the line the 70 odd miles in Hupei he will urge the authorities and gentry duly to finance and carry out; with the arrangements