blosure No. 1 in Mr. Fox's No. 81, General Series, of July 16th. 1 09.
alation.
397
Dear Sir,
32200
LAUG 26 1909,
B6th. June 10.
I have received from the Hanging Director,
II.E. Wei Han, a copy of the letter you addressed to him, dated April 14th. 1.09, together with a revised estimate
on the subject of land.
I understand from this that you do not feel satisfied with regard to the purchase of lund, and that you alloge that not only has no progress been made, but that no vigorous measures have been taken by His Excellency to expedite the purchase.
As you
re in charge of the whole of the con-
structional work, you naturally desire to have all the
land acquired as soon as possible, but landa acquired
by various railways have hitherto been paid for according
to their present value, and neither the land owners can demand more than their value, nor can the railway bring official influence to bear upon them. As the construction
of a railway is for the benefit and convenience of the
people, the use of drastic meanures towards the people is
therefore impossible. The villagers being so simple and
for the most part so ignorant, I am afraid that the outbrea
of disturbances would be abbonded with still more serious
dolay.
The object of a railway is for commercial purposes, and upon its completion all the villagers along
the line will be its custo ers. It is evident, therefore,
that the more mobilization of soldiers we make today, the
more