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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
C. O.
[April 41 14492 SECTION LE
Red 24 APR 07:
[10299]
No. 1.
Foreign Office to Chinese Central Railways.
Sir,
Foreign Office, April 4, 1907.
I AM directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to acknowledge the receipt of of the 27th ultimo, requesting that instructions may be sent to His Majesty's Minister
your at Peking with a view to securing the acceptance by the Chinese Government of the revised agreement for the construction of the Tien-tsin-Yangtse Railway.
letter
1 am to inform you that the British and Chinese Corporation have been consulted on the subject, and that in their reply, a copy of which it is understood has been com- municated to you, they declare themselves emphatically opposed to any action which would involve the subordination of the impending negotiations with the Chinese Government for the Soochow-Ningpo Railway Loan.
In Sir E. Grey's opinion, it will be impossible to proceed with the negotiations for hoth railway loans pari passe, and the arguments advanced by the Corporation in favour of giving priority to the Soochow-Ningpo Railway Loan appear to him convincing. Subject, therefore, to any observations that the Chinese Central Railways, Limited, may wish to make, he proposes to instruct His Majesty's Minister at Peking to give precedence to that loan project and to take up the Tien-tsin-Yangtse Railway negotia- tious as soon as the others are concluded.
I am to express a hope that a reply may be returned by the Chinese Central Railways to this letter with the least possible delay.
I am, &c. (Signed) F. A. CAMPBELL.
[2449 d--1]