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G.O.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government
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Railway Companies remains practically as set forth in our letter of the 14th ultimo, but he is making progress towards the personal acquaintance of some of the Chekiang Directors, and he appears to be regarded by them as the Engineer for the section between Hangchow and Ningpo, where he anticipates the scant authority conferred upon him by the Loan Agreement. Mr. Foord has obtained permission from Managing Director Sze to engage two district engineers, two bridge constructors, and one draughtsman, all of British nationality. Messrs. Dees and Griffiths, late of the Shanghae-Nanking and Northern Railways respectively, are to be the district engineers in question.
Mr. Foord has recently been to Ningpo, where he succeeded in locating the site for the terminus of the railway at that port.
(Translation.) Sir,
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Wai-wu Pu to Sir J. Jordan.
Peking, November 24, 1909.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's note of the 22nd ultimo, wherein, after calling attention to the present state of affairs in regard to the Shanghae-Hangchow-Ningpo Railway, you requested the issue of orders by the Imperial Government which would insure that immediate steps be taken to place the Engineer- in-chief in charge of the work allotted to him, and that the terms of the Loan Agreement should be faithfully observed in every respect.
In reply to instructions addressed by this Board to the Board of Communications the following despatch has now been received from that Department :-----
"Instructions were issued by the Board to the Managing Director of the Shanghae- Hangchow-Ningpo Railway, Shih Chao-tseng, to engage a British engineer, Mr. Foord, as Engineer-in-chief, in accordance with the 17th Article of the Loan Agreement. A contract was drawn up, and after having been submitted for our approval was signed on the 14th instant. Mr. Foord's powers will of course be in accordance with the Agreement.
"This Board bas always devoted serious attention to the affairs of the Shanghae- Hangchow-Ningpo Railway, and as we have now furnished a reply to the points raised by Sir John Jordan relative to the stipulations of the Loan Agreement we would submit that there are no grounds for excessive uneasiness on his Excellency's part."
The Board have the honour to inform your Excellency that, as the Managing Director of the Shanghae-Haugchow-Ningpo Railway, Shih Chao-tseng, acting under the instructions of the Board of Communications, has already engaged Mr. Foord as Engineer-in-chief, action will of course be taken in accordance with the provisions of the
Loan Agreement.
I avail, &c. (Signed)
Prince CHING.
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[1779]
No. 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Sir J. Jordan.
RESP
[January 1]
1. FED 09
SECTION 2.
(No. 12.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Foreign Office, January 13, 1909. CANTON-HANKOW Railway. Your despatch No. 576 of the 23rd December,
1908.
The Hong Kong and Shanghae Bank learn by telegraph from the Deutsch- Asiatische Bank at Berlin that the Chinese Government have approached the latter bank with a view to obtaining a loan of 3,000,000l. for railway purposes. The German bank, in the belief that the British bank have already been engaged in negotiations on the matter, and being desirous of avoiding competition, have inquired whether, in the event of the loan being given to British financiers, they might expect to be given a share. The Hong Kong and Shanghae Bank have informed them, in reply, that they are laying the matter before the British and Chinese Corporation.
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