given the preference if their terms were equally
favourable.
773
His Excellency told me he understood that Chang
had really felt his way blocked by the Belgian inter-
vention, and had thought of deferring the loan for the
Hankow-Canton line and concluding one for the Hankow-
Ichang railway instead. It was, he said, very desirable
that the southern trunk line should be completed quickly,
but he did not see how Chang could make any further
move except at the instance of the Nankow Viceroy. No
doubt if the latter applied for a loan, Chang would sup-
port him. His Excellency promised to try and see
Chang, but appeared to favour direct representations
by Mr. Bland to the Viceroy.
I objected that on previous occasions Messrs. Bland
and Hillier had spent a long time at Hankow in negotia-
tions which were made fruitless by the Central Govern-
ment, and insisted that something definite must be
settled at Peking before this course was repeated.
There was no doubt that the railway was wanted and that
some progress had been made by the appointments of
Messrs.