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it as their opinion on the grounds stated in their report that the Railway promised to be a profitable undertaking.
This Report was of material interest to Investors and Sir John Wolfe Barry and Mr. A. J. Barry naturally believed, as did the Corporation, that the Chinese Government would permit the works to be organised and to be proceeded with expeditiously and on a business-like footing.
The Corporation was allowed to engage for the Railway a Chief Engineer and Staff to proceed in the first instance with the final survey. The staff was selected by Sir John Wolfe Barry and Mr. A. J. Barry acting as Consulting Engineers and despatched to China, and it being understood that the Viceroy of Canton and the Managing Director with whom our Agents had been communicating were agreeable, we anticipated that the necessary appointment of Sir John Wolfe Barry and Mr. A. J. Barry as Consulting Engineers to the Railway would follow immediately and that they would be kept fully informed of the progress of the survey so as to be able to assist with their advice and also proceed with designs for the Bridges and such other work as could be put in hand to facilitate the work of construction and ensure as far as possible the completion of the Railway within the estimated period and cost.
The appointment of the Consulting Engineers has however been made the subject of delay and the Corporation is now informed that a Chinese Engineer in the North of China is to be appointed Consulting Engineer. This gentleman without doubt possesses much ability but he cannot have the experience of Sir John Wolfe Barry and Mr. A. J. Barry, nor can he perform the services which are required to be rendered in Europe; and we may point out that the Northern Railway which is fully organised finds it necessary to get its Bridge-work designed in England and the material it purchases here inspected and that in the case of the Canton Kowloon Railway the Bridge-work calls for the best assistance obtainable.
The Corporation's great concern is that the Railway proceed