1. The conditions in China are dissimilar to those prevailing in European countries, and China's weakness vis-à-vis of her creditors would lead to undesirable complications, with eventual loss of independence.
2. There are at present ample funds in hand for constructing the line, and a foreign loan is not required.
3. The large number of people who have taken shares in the present company are all unalterably opposed to a foreign loan.
The first plea needs no comment; with regard to the last two it is only possible In the meantime, preparations are being to say that they do not tally with the facts. made to discuss the matter with Tuan-fang on his arrival in Changsha.
In view of the present uncertainty, I requested the commander of His Majesty's ship"Nightingale," which arrived on the 21st May, to inform the senior naval officer at Shanghai that, in my opinion, it was desirable that one gun-boat should stay here to watch the course of events. The "Nightingale" accordingly remains in Changsha
left on the 24th May. for the present, while the "Woodlark
I have, &c.
P.S.-Since the above was written
BERTRAM GILES.
have seen the strongly worded Imperial edict of the 31st May, censuring the governor for the memorial in which he pleads on behalf of the gentry for the restoration of the railway; commanding him to carry out the instructions contained in the earlier edicts; and holding him responsible for any trouble that may arise through failure on his part to adopt proper measures. consulate writer tells me that in his opinion the gentry appear to be resigning themselves to what they perceive to be inevitable, and that the risk of a disturbance now need hardly be considered.
(Translation.)
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
The
B. G.
Leaflet circulated at the Meeting held on May 14, 1911. THE railway is the very life blood of the province; if the control of the line is lost our life is cut short. If the control of the line is filched from us, it is as though the people of the whole province were consigned to death. This traitorous slave, Sheng Isüan-huai, had previously signed a contract with the American Ho-hsing Company whereby the Hankow-Canton Railway was handed over to the foreigners. At that time the people of the three provinces, feeling that they could not lose control of the line, made a desperate effort to recover it. Fortunately they were able to do so, and an Imperial decree granted it to them as a private undertaking. In the first year of Hsuan-t'ung, Chang Chih-tung raised the question of a loan for the construction of the line. But the people and gentry of Hupei and Hunan opposed this vigorously by letter and telegram; and the representatives sent by them to decline the loan travelled continually to and fro, as the issue concerned the lives and the property of our people. Consequently, no effort was spared to fight the proposal, The Government is well aware that it dare not lose the good-will of the people or incur their resentment,
When the Governor of Hunan memorialised the Throne by telegraph on their behalf an Imperial decree was received acceding to their request, thus showing the generous solicitude of two Emperors for the people of Hunan. But once Shêng Hsüan-huai was summoned to the capital, he plotted night and day with bis intimates to contract a foreign loan, hoping thereby to feather his own nest. The four nations' loan and the Japanese loan were thus carried through, and the li-kin, the tribute rice and the tobacco, wine, and salt revenues of all the provinces of China were pledged as security. Under the pretext of nationalising the railways, he handed over the Hankow-Canton trunk line entirely to the foreigners, the loan contract not having been discussed at his public office but at his private residence. This traitorous thief usurped power for his own ends; he befooled the Throne and treated the Imperial decrees with contempt. The Imperial decree of 9th May being distinctly at variance with those previously issued it cannot express the Emperor's own views, but merely Sheng's misrepresentation thereof. Thus one man, led by his greed for gain, does not hesitate to hand over his country's territory and the lives and the property of the people to the foreigner, besides involving the Emperor in unfilial conduct.
In all the
5
annals of the past there is no rebellious Minister among all traitorous thieves who has dared thus openly to go to such lengths as these.
All our elders and youths must band themselves together and bring their united strength to bear against him, ready and willing to lose nine-tenths of their number in the struggle; and they must swear an oath that they and the rebellious Minister shall not remain together on this earth, in the hope on the one hand to open our Emperor's eyes, and on the other to destroy the evil spirits to whom these sacrifices were made.
All you patriotic gentlemen will surely rise up in your wrath and mingle your tears while awaiting the decision of Heaven. The measures for preserving the line are set forth below:--
1. All should with one heart reverently obey the decrees of the late Emperor and that of the second year of Isüan-t'ung, by retaining their private control over the line unimpaired and by directing all their energies to effecting progress.
2. The representatives of the entire people should ask the governor to memorialise the Throne by telegraph, praying for a rescission of the decree.
3. A formal meeting of shareholders must be summoned.
4. Four additional well-known notables should be selected to act as deputy directors, and to make desperate efforts to assist the director-general in making headway.
5. The whole stretch of 1,200 li odd (not including the 100 li section from Changsha to Chuchou) must be divided into 125 sectious of 10 li cach; and tenders must be called for the construction, which must be completed before the 5th moon of the 4th year of Hsüan-t'ung. Regulations governing the contracts can be drawn up separately.
6. The expenses of construction must be advanced by the contractors, to be repayable in six years; or those who wish it can take shares in lieu thereof.
7. One engineer-in-chief and a dozen or more assistant - engineers must be engaged, besides several dozen officials for purchasing land, whose duty will be to measure and purchase land along the line of route; after which work must be started immediately.
8. Hunanese railway students, whether they have completed their course abroad or at home, must all be employed, either on general duties, or on supervision of machinery, or as assistant-engineers, or as superintendents of works, according to the measure of their ability. They must take up the work as a duty, and shall receive no salary.
9. Notables of all classes who have railway interests at heart should assemble together and divide themselves into four committees: one to raise shares; another to attend to the construction of the line; a third to unite all in opposition to the loan; and the fourth to attend to correspondence and to rouse popular feeling.
10. If any oppose the retention of the full control of the Hunan railway as a private undertaking and hinder the progress of the construction, all Hunanese must unite to resist them and must oppose them by force.
11. The house and land contributions and the levy on salaries must be raised as heretofore; but the two first named shall be collected and remitted by the local self-government bureau in each district, without trusting to the assistance of the administrative officials.
12. The pay department of the railway must be converted into a railway bank. available for the deposit of funds and for the issue of notes. All Hunanese must make it their duty to aid by seeing that these notes circulate freely.
13. If any foreigners come to Hunan and endeavour by force to take charge of the construction, the Hunanese must assemble in their numbers and arrange to oppose them; no matter what grave trouble may be stirred up thereby, it is no concern of If the board dispatches a superintendent to Hunao, the Hunanese are to resist him also in the same way.
ours.
14. Should the Government disapprove of the Hunanese methods of self-defence and recklessly punish any, the Hunanese must assemble together in their numbers and proceed in a body to the yamêns and demand that all of them be punished.
15. If the Government cancels the decree and leaves the control of the railway in private hands, the Hunanese will be grateful for this act of Imperial grace and will do their best to requite it. But if the decrees of the late Emperor and that of the second year of Ilsüan-t'ung are disregarded, and the wealth of the people is offered up as a sacrifice to the foreigner, then indeed will we resist with the utmost desperation; and as a last resort we are firmly resolved to close the shops, shut up the schools, and refuse to pay taxes.
The statement of the entire population of the province of Ilunan.
0
156