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artificial delays, but I am disposed to concur with Mr. Lay and the technical experts in the view that an immediate discussion of the working agreement might not advance matters. The suggestion of Mr. Grove that he and the Chief Resident Engineer of the British section should endeavour in the first place to reach an agreement on the questions involved appears to me very practical, and I think that by following it Your Excellency would be more likely to hasten a conclusion than to delay it.
According to railway information the prospect of a line from Canton to Whampoa appears to have been abandoned, at least for the time being. I am also informed that the concession for the construction of this projected line to Amoy has been cancelled by the Board of Communications.
As regards likin on railway traffic, I enclose for Your Excellency's information an abstract of despatches which I have addressed to Sir Edward Grey since No.143 of March 16, mentioned by you. As you will have observed, my main object is to secure that British-owned goods imported or exported at Treaty ports, whether seaports or inland, and goods sent from one Treaty port to