168
insight into the Grand Secretary's attitude towards the
whole question, shows that the Tionts in-Puko terms
are more likely to form the limit of his ambition,
and if China, with a decrease last year of over a million
sterling in her Customs revenue and her pres nt hand-
to-mouth financial arrangements,
succeeds in building
}
another trunk line on such easy terms she may consider
herself especially fortunate.
fact
The Smart that negotiations were in prospect has
attracted here the usual number of would-be competitors,
the most prominent of whom are ".Odaziri representing
Jaymese, and .Jadot, seting in Belgian interests, and
the Grand Secretary will naturally turn tha competi^ion
to advantage in extracting the best terms he can out
of r.Bland.
V.Odariri Beems to be the only one who has any locus
standt an his claims, a stated in 'r.Aland's letter Lo
me, appear to be of an extravagant nature.
In my reply to Nr.9land'e letter, copy of * leb
is