[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
469
[March 5.]
TREES
Secrio 52 4 APE 10
[7608]
(No. 22.) Sir,
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordon to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received March 5.)
I HAVE the honour to forward herewith a translation of an interesting report
Peking, January 12, 1910. by the Board of Posts and Communications, reviewing the work accomplished by the Board during the six months ended the 31st July, 1909.*
The report throughout is written in a very optimistic tone, which the actual facts hardly justify. The Board point out with no little pride that the traffic receipts on the Peking-Hankow Railway since the redemption of the Belgian loan have increased over 700,000 dollars. The working of this line, however, cannot yet be considered as highly efficient. Great credit is naturally claimed for the completion of the Peking- Kalgan line, and extensions north to Urga and west to Sui-Yuan are confidently mentioned. As regards the Yunnan-Szechuan line, reference is made to the engage- ment of two American engineers who have already arrived at Yunnan-fu.
In pursuance of their policy of trying to redeem all lines constructed with foreign loans, the Board hope to redeem the French loan of 40,100,000 fr. for the Chengting- Taiyuan-fu Railway from the beginning of 1910.
As regards posts, the Board state that a scheme is now under consideration for taking over the postal service, and that much correspondence has passed on this complicated question.
The report throughout bristles with inaccurate and vague statements, and the Board take credit for much more work than has actually been accomplished in the period under review.
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
• Not printed
[2667 e--5]
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