vans Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[5655]
No. 1.
48
[February 13.]
SECTION
C.O. 7780
RECR
Question asked in the House of Commons, February 13, 1908. R 4 MAR 08
Mr. Rees-To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can give the House any information regarding the progress of the railway from Peking to Kalgan.
Answer.
As stated in my reply to the honourable Member on the 3rd June last, trains are running as far as Nank'on, a distance of over 34 miles, out of a total of 125 miles to Kalgan. Last September the following additional particulars were furnished by the Engineer-in-chief: Beyond Nank'on 3 miles of rails had been laid and two tunnels completed, besides which a third tunnel (1,200 feet long) and two-thirds of the remaining one (3,450 feet) had been driven through. On the north side of the Nankow pass work had been begun, and about two-thirds of the earthwork to Huailai (about half-way between Peking and Kalgan) had been finished. The line was to be opened to traffic as far as Huailai as soon as the rails reached that place. It was estimated that the whole line would be opened in a semi-finished state in 1909, and would be completed in 1910.
(2856 n-1)