290
Peking on the one hand and the Secretary of State on the
other. At one stage the Admiral Commanding-in-Chief refer-
-red to me for my views. As no correspondence had been
communicated to me from the Colonial Office on the matter,
I was dependent upon such Foreign Office Prints as might
be in my possession, and these proved to be fragmentary
and of old date. Had it not been for the courtesy of
Admiral Sir Arthur Moore who had a careful précis of the
whole made for me, I should have been unable to deal with
the important issue placed before me by the Commander-in-
-Chief with any proper understanding of the antecedent
circumstances, and the views expressed by His Majesty's
Government.
2.
At the present time I have been
anxious to examine the position as regards the Canton-
-Hankow Railway - a matter in which this Colony is vitally
interested, and on behalf of which it has made a Loan of
over a million sterling to the Governor-General of Hukuang
Provinces. I venture respectfully to submit de to Your
Lordship that in such a matter the earliest opportunity
should be taken of transmitting all important correspond-
-once for my information, and of keeping this Government
informed of all steps taken. The only information I have
regarding