00
}
......luo Wo. 10: bis “--
I
a'erent bro
€
J
no molun. 830 W
wi. medal oll poluv yd
To mordua2 sashi su
as mil as prɗl si ond y b9au Ti bwtiqzos e. Ill: snil
+4
.."
12
pet odri Ja
od Iliw noidnudnikio, aq3-
257
have heard it rumoured that the Chinese Government then intends tc connect this new line with the old line via Shamshuipo, which as you will see from the correspondence is in part on Crown Land, without any licence or authority from this Government and which together with their uncontrolled office in Hongkong cannot remain in the sole control of a Foreign Power operating in a British Colony.
3.
In the meantime the telegraph line along the British Section of the Railway has been completed as far as the frontier and is at present used for the Railway Telephone System. Moreover, the Government possesses a cable of its own containing & wires across the Hongkong Harbour. Two of these wires are spare and could be used for the commercial telegraph line to Canton
the which is at present time conducted on 2 wires.
4.
In these circumstances I think that the time has come to arrive at a clear understanding with the Chinese Government and the Telegraph Companies concerned as to the future working of the line between Hongkong and Canton, for I am sure that Your Excellency will agree with me that it is not possible to permit the Chinese Government by means of its officials to operate a telegraph line in a British Colony. It remains to decided whether that part of the telegraph line which is is British Territory should be operated by the Hongkong Government or should be granted under lease by this Government to a British Company which would enter into an agreement with the Chinese Government for the joint-working of the line. In the former case it will be advisable to press the Chinese Government to adhere to the International Telegraph Convention of St. Petersburg 1908 and Lisbon 1909 to which the Government of Great Britain is a Signatory Power. If the latter alternative is adopted, and as at present advised I am somewhat in favour of it, such an agree- -ment should be incorporated in the draft of the proposed agree- -ment between the Board of Communications and the Eastern Exten- -sion Telegraph Company and the Great Northern Telegraph Company, It would, however, be necessary in the first instance for the terms of lease to be settled between the Eastern Extension
Telegraph