C. O
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
TREAS
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addressed to me on the same subject on the following day by Mr. Barry himself, to the Department of Communications in Peking, who inform me in reply that they regret that they are unable to make any change in the definite arrangements already made, for reasons they have fully explained to your representative (Mr. Bland), and to the Secretary of the British Legation.
Your Excellency,
I am, &c.
(Signed) LI CHING FONG.
The British and Chinese Corporation to Li Ching Fong.
3, Lombard Street, London, June 16, 1908.
I BEG leave to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th instant, and that I have not done so sooner is owing to absence from London.
I have to thank you for so promptly dealing with my letter of the 5th March last, and can only express my regret that the Department of Communications in Peking should have replied that they are unable to alter their arrangements in regard to the employment of Consulting Engineers for the Canton-Kowloon Railway.
I have, &c.
(Signed) W. KESWICK, Chairman.
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[31028]
(No. 316.)
No. 1.
[September 7.]
SECTION 2,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received September 7.)
Sir,
Peking, July 14, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a despatch from the Acting British Consul-General at Canton, reporting that the Concession granted to Chang Jung-hsien in 1905 has been withdrawn owing to no progress having been made during the three years which have elapsed since the date of the grant. It will be remembered that the first section of this line formed the subject of repeated protests from us as constituting an infringement of our rights under the Canton-Kowloon Railway Agreement, and from the inclosure in Mr. Fox's despatch it would appear that our action led to a modification of the project and the eventual annulment of the Concession.
It is interesting to note that other railway undertakings which have no progress to show during a period of three years from their inception are to be similarly dealt with. Liang Shih-yi, the Director-General of Railways, told me some little time ago that he had recommended this course of action, and a recent Decree authorizes an investigation of the circumstances of the various lines and the adoption of other arrangements where there is no prospect of the work being completed within a reasonable time.
The Hankow-Szechuan line will, it is said, be the first whose affairs are to undergo an investigation of this kind.
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1,
(No. 29.) Sir,
Acting Consul-General Fox to Sir J. Jordan.
Canton, July 1, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to inclose translation of an extract from the "An Ya Pao" of the 20th ultimo, reporting that the Concession granted to Chang Jung-hsien in 1905 for the construction of a railway from Canton to Amoy has been withdrawn owing to his failure to show any progress after the lapse of three years from the date of the Concession.
I have endeavoured to obtain official confirmation locally, but without success. I have, however, very little doubt that the newspaper report is substantially correct. Chang seems to have lost all interest in his railway ever since it was intimated to him that the construction of the Canton-Whampoa section could not be permitted, as it infringed the prior rights of the Canton-Kowloon line.
Chang has been absent from Canton for some time past on a tour in the Straits, where he is supposed to be endeavouring to gain support for a scheme for the building of a line of merchant-steamers.
I have, &c.
(Signed) H. H. FOX.
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