Chiao-t'ou
Merr Chia Pu
Pên Hsi Hu
2
Stations.
Miles.
Remarks.
131
138
143
Important collieries.
Huo Lien Chai
148
Shih Chiao-tzu
156
Yao Chien Hu Tun
165
Chên Hsiang Tun
172
Пun Ho Pao
133
Fêng Tien (Mukden)
189
The Fashun branch of the South Manchurian Railway crosses just south of this station.
The Mukden terminus is now at the South Manchurian Railway Muk- den railway station. (It used to be some distance south-east of it.)
From Mukden the line runs on the level, or nearly so, for some 25 miles to Yao Chien Hu-tun, in the Liao plain, and a side valley eastward out of it. Thence it winds among the mountains, following small valleys and crossing a succession of ridges through very picturesque country. The only places of any size or importance along the whole line are Pên Hsi Hu and Fêng Huang Ch'êng. From the latter place again it is fairly level, going along valleys to Antung.
Between Mêng Chia Pu and Chiao-t'ou, and again between Chi Kuan Shan and Chiu Mu Chuang, the ranges are so steep and the gradients so heavy that the trains have to cross in two separate halves. On the northern slope of the latter range there are two reversing stations.
As a consequence the journey between Mukden and Antung takes two long days' travelling, viz., from Mukden to Tsao-ho Kou 11 hours 55 minutes, and from Tsao-ho Kou to Antung 11 hours 25 minutes.
The New Alignment (4 ft. 8 in. gauge).-To avoid building a new bridge over the Hun Ho, the new alignment takes off from the Fushun line just south-west of Hun Ho Pao, and, with a curve, joins into the present track, which it then follows for upwards of 20 miles. When I passed over it the embankment had been widened and the big sleepers and broad-gauge track laid down as far as Yao Chien Hu Tun (the light rails being relaid between the broad-gauge ones). The new bridges, alongside the present ones, were, on this section, almost completed, and in a very short time it should be possible to run trains on the broad-gange as far as Shih Chiao-tzů.
In the mountains the new alignment naturally diverges from the present track considerably, but is never very far away, usually in sight. When completed the curtailment of distance will be over 20 miles, and the run from Mukden to Antung will only take some seven or eight hours.
The work of reconstruction was proceeding actively throughout. Sections. The work is divided into four sections, viz.:-
1. Mukdon to Hồng Chia Pu.
2. Nêng Chia Pu to Hsia Ma Tang.
3. Hsia Ma Tang to Chi Kuan Shan.
4. Chi Kuan Shan to Antung.
The second of these is the hardest section.
The work is being done by contract. I travelled with the contractor of the northern section on the 27th September, and he told me that he was having no difficulty about labour.
In the 20 miles between Chiao-t'ou and Hsia Ma Tang there are no less than thirty-two bridges from 400 to 600 feet long. I noticed that new bridges along the line are being built of timber trestle work, of the same type as those now carrying the light line (see photo "A"). (The bridges on the standard 4 ft. 8 in. gauge Corcan line, Seoul-Shin-Gishu section, are of this type, but are being replaced by masonry and iron girder-work bridges.)
Tunnels.-The principal tunnels are :--
1. The Hei Kan-ling tunnel (north of Fêng Huang Ch'êng), 2,500 feet.
2. The Chi Kuan Shan tunnel, 3,168 feet. (This tunnel alone will shorten the
distance, as compared with the present track, by some 7 miles.)
3. The Fu Chin Ling tunnel (between Fên Hsi Hu and Chiao-t'ou), 5,000 feet.
They will be bored with steam shafting machinery.
3
Labour. The labour is almost entirely Chinese, supervised by Japanese overseers, the gangs living in mat shelters at intervals alongside the line. A little difficulty was experienced at first in getting Chinese coolies, but they are now working satisfactorily. I only saw one gang of Coreans (working on the 4th section, near Kao-li Men).
Purchase of Land. The head office for land purchasing has been established at Mukden, under Chinese and Japanese officials deputed by the Manchurian Govern- ment and the South Manchurian Railway respectively, viz., two superintendents, two assistant superintendents, and a number of executive delegates to work at various points along the line, assisted by the local officials. Two branch (mobile) bureaux have been formed for this purpose, and they have established local sub-offices in sixteen places, and the work is proceeding smoothly. Difficulty was expected in the neighbourhood of Pên Hsi Hu.
Policing. The question of the policing of the new line is, I understand, still a matter of contention between the Chinese and Japanese Governments. However that may be, the present line is guarded by detachments of the Japanese South Manchurian Railway Guard Battalions, some of whom travel on each train. The detachments are stationed at various points along the line, and are supposed not to exceed fifteen men per kilom., .., a total of 2,366 men throughout the length of the line. At certain points, e.g., Mukden, Pên Hsi Hu, Sha-ho Chên, &c., I noticed Chinese police also on the platforms, and asked them whether they ever get into difficulties with the Japanese railway guards, and they replied in the negative. I daresay, however, that this was a matter of "saving face.'
There is a considerable element of low-class Japanese "undesirables' in South Manchuria, who are given to bullying and ill-treating the Chinese, and whose high- handedness must give rise to much ill-feeling. I myself saw one or two instances of such ill-treatment of coolies and petty pedlars. I understand that the Japanese Government is aware of and deplores this state of things, and is taking steps to eliminate this undesirable element.
Connections with other Lines.(1.) The linking on to the Corean system, a matter of great strategic importance, will be effected by the construction of the Yalu bridge.
When I was at Antung on the 13th August there was no sign of any commence- ment of this work. On the 28th September, however, I noticed that work was proceeding actively on six of the piers, the scaffolding round which was up and joined by a temporary timber trestle bridge. The foundations were being built in steel caissons. The labour was entirely Chinese, supervised by Japanese; no Coreans. One span of the bridge will be made to open to admit of the passage of shipping.
The bridge will be of the same type (masonry piers and iron girder-work super- structure) as the bridges being built along the Seoul-Shin-Gishu section of the Corean Railway. They say the construction of the bridge will take three years, but I think it probable that construction will be hastened to coincide with the completion of the new Antung-Mukden line.
(2) The line joins into the main line of the South Manchurian Railway at Su-Chia-Tün (junction for Fushun).
Considering the short time that has elapsed since the work began (8th August), the progress made has been very remarkable. It is expected that the new line will be completed in two years from the start, i.e., in August 1911.
I append a few photographs of the line.
M. E. WILLOUGHBY, Lieutenant-Colonel,
Military Attaché.
314