P Y.
Enclosure 1.
30%
C O
20972
British Legation,
BEGI SEP 10
Peking, July 31, 1910-
:
{
Dear Sir Francis May,
I am trying to find out indirectly whether
Weihan is going to resign his post on the Canton-Kowloon Rail-
-way. There has been talk of his getting a better appointment
for months past, but I dont like to enquire too openly now,
especially if there is any truth in your report that he is
considered here as favouring too much the claims of the British
Seation. If he is going I may have some difficulty in ascertain-
-ing the name of his successor before he is officially appointed
but whoever he is I presume he must be authorised to continue
negotiations for the Working Agreement, though I very much
doubt if it will be on the basis of joint management. Unfortuna-
-tely Liang Shih-yi is quite unwell and not able to see anyone,
otherwise he was to have come and seen me this week and as I an
off tomorrow for a much needed three weeks at the sea side, I am
not likely to see him before the end of August, and who can tell
if he will still be Director General of Railways then ↑
To judge from the correspondence forwarded
to me by the Foreign Office there appear to be two points in
connection with the Working Agreement to which the Colonial
Government attach special importance.
1.
The connection between the Canton-Kowloon
and Canton-Hankow Railways.
I see that Sir Frederick Lugard was under
the impression that the Chinese Government were opposed to this scheme which is of such vital importance to the prosperity
of Hongkong. My information is all to the contrary. My impres... -sion is that the Board of Communications are alive to the necessity of making this junction in the interests of their own Canton-Kowloon Railway, Mr. Mayers, the Agent of the British and
Chinese