!
alone should conduct negotiations with the Viceroy.
290
Paraphrase of telegram from Hankow No.20.
Hankow, 31st October, 1906.
Hankow-Canton Railway.
date.
Please see your telegram No.27 of yesterday's
I have reason to believe that the Nanchang af-
fair has intensified Viceroy's dislike for French
methods of which His Excellency spoke strongly to me
on September 9th, 1005, and I am of opinion that if
we tried to make his undertaking cover other than
British financiers he would certainly claim that we
had nullified our agreement of last year.
There has been no alteration to my knowledge
since my despatch No.54 of October 31st last year and
my telegraphic reports of the same month on the Vice-
roy's position as to foreign loans.
From my experience and estimate of his character
I do not believe that he will reopen negotiations un-
til sure that the Peking Board's opposition will not
recur, although the feeble response to his invitation
to subscribe capital of Hupei section of the line to
Szechuan