Taotai Wei Han did not seem to think that any difficulties would be made by the Board, although he admitted that there might be some delay before sanction could be obtained, owing to the present unsettled condition of that department.
74
C.O. 24967
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
REG 26 JUL 09
[June 28.]
SECTION 4.
(Translation.) (Telegraphic.)
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
I have, &c.
HARRY H. FOX.
[24080]
(No. 175.) Sir,
April 10, 1909.
Governor of Kwangsi to Taotai Wei Han.
WEI CHING CHING. Ching cypher.
The survey agreement is eminently satisfactory. I have sent a copy to the Board of Communications. As soon as I receive the Board's sanction 1 will telegraph to you and ask you to sign on my behalf. I would also ask you to find an interpreter. Please accept my grateful thanks for all that you have done,
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received June 28.)
Peking, May 12, 1909. WITH reference to my despatch No. 102 of the 3rd March on the subject of railway expansion in North-West China, I have the honour to enclose, in translation, & memorial of the Board of Communications describing the work undertaken during the past year in the development of railways and telegraphs, and laying down a programme of future operations to be carried out in the years 1909-16.
In their introductory statement the board exclude from their purview the Tien-tsin-- Pakow, Hankow-Canton, and Szechuan-Hankow lines as being under the control of directors-general specially appointed for that purpose, and lay down as a principle that, with the exception of these undertakings, a time-limit must be set for the completion of all other enterprises already commenced or contemplated.
The summary of measures taken during the past year classifies the Shanghae- Hangchow-Ningpo Railway as a line under commercial control, thereby ingnoring once more the loan agreement with the British and Chinese Corporation for its construction by the Imperial Government, and the Nan-Piao question, in which the British and Chinese Corporation are also interested, and which still remains unsettled, is described as annulled.
It is scarcely probable that the scheme of work for the next eight years has been drawn up with any greater respect for accuracy than the statement of the Board's achievements during the past twelve months, but it may prove useful as an indication of the policy of the moment; and it will be of interest to observe, at the end of the current year, whether work has been begun, as is contemplated, on the Kirin-Ch'ang Ch'un, Antung-Mukden, Ilonan-Tung Kuan, and Szechuan-Hankow lines.
In the programme for next year two operations are contemplated which will doubtless evoke considerable interest, namely, the redemption of the Chengting- Taiyuan-fu Railway Loan, and the survey of the Isinmintun extension towards Tsitsihar. No date, however, is given for the construction of this line, nor for the extensions of the Kalgan Railway to Urga and Kiakhta.
The redemption of the Shanghae-Nanking Railway Loan is scheduled for 1914, and that of the Peking Syndicate's line in Honan for the following year.
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Extract from the "Official Gazette" of April 17, 1909.
MEMORIAL by the Board of Communications setting forth the measures already carried out, and those which they propose to undertake during the nine years preceding the establishment of constitutional government.
(Translation.)
After referring to the Imperial decree wherein public departments are directed to take such steps, in addition to those laid down in the Constitutional Reform Commission's memorial, as will help towards the inauguration of the new régime, the Board proceed to detail the various measures which they have already carried out or propose to undertake with regard to matters coming within their province, that is to say, railways, telegraphs, posts, and steam shipping. The two latter departments are not under the direct administration of the Board, and they therefore refrain from dealing with them for the present.
As regards railways, the steps to be taken may be divided into three heads :--
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