[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
10037
RECE
&
CHINA RAILWAYS.
REG 16 JUN 1
[May 7.]
SECTION 1.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[17275]
No. 1.
527
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received May 7.)
(Telegraphic.) P.
HUKUANG loan.
Peking, May 7, 1911.
Proposal is quite unobjectionable, and the interpretation given in your telegram of the 6th May is correct. The Government will undertake the construction of future trunk lines, and branch lines are to be constructed by the provinces if they can obtain sufficient capital to do so, The primary object of the scheme is to disarm the opposition in Hunan, and may be only tactical move to make the signature of the Hukuang agreement easier.
The Board of Communications have been ordered to report to the Throne on the subject by a decree of the 5th May, and this should give Sheng his desired opportunity.
[2024 g-1]
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