431
DRAFT.
been able to effect this,
hote
hr. at Benny stalls that ... "So I dinkan har moved
the matter back hithert without Tussles
Jaß
most detrimental
able to take active steps to induce the
Chinese Government to reconsider their atti-
tude. I am unable, however, to find that Sir
Torn Jordan has hroved in the matter), and it
is therefore necessary to consider if any
other steps can be taken to safeguard the
interests of the Hong Kong Railway.
3.
The possible dangers which
fore-
see are threefold. In the first place, I
have heard that Chinese merchants and offi-
cials are pressing the idea of making a
Chinese port the terminus of the trunk
line, and have been making speculative pur-
chases of land at Whampoa with that object.
It is obvious that such a policy, if carried
into execution, would be fatal to the inter-
ests of Hong Kong, and as it is opposed to
the terms of the loan agreement His Majesty's
Government would be justified in using
every means at their disposal to resist it.
4.