鲜
3.0.
30941.
REC
125% 10
(Copy)
16, Great George Street,
Westminster, S.W.
1st October, 1910.
Sir,
In accordance with your instructions, I have
considered the questions you put to me and the draft Agree-
ment you left as fully and carefully as possible in the short
time at my disposal, and beg to submit my Report.
The problem for solution is to determine what is the
best method of operating a line of Railway about 115 miles
in length which is physically continuous, but in its course
crosses the boundary separating two countries, the ownership
of the Railway dividing at the Frontier. The problem is
simplified by the fact that the through traffic passing over
both Railways is expected to be by far the most lucrative
source of revenue, but is complicated by the fact that the
Hong Kong Railway, though shorter in actual length, is from
the nature of the country traversed far more costly per mile,
and also more important as serving a terminal Port.
It is quite clear that no satisfactory commercial
results can be anticipated unless the Railways are worked in
complete harmony as far as through traffic isconcerned, and
from a practical railway point of view, there are only three
methods of achieving this result.
(1) For the two Governments to work their own Railways,
but to enter into an Agreement to facilitate the inter-change
of through traffic,
(2)
Mutual running powers,
(3)
Joint Working.
I have no hesitation in advising you that from the
general features of the present case, and especially having
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(regard