-7.
86
HIS EXCELLENCY says that he would like to mention another matter
that has some connection with this question. He refers
to the development of hampoa. He wishes to say in all
sincerity that Hong Kong, far from looking upon Whampoa
as a rival, regards it as complementary to itself. He
considers that the development of Whampoa will not only
benefit Kwongtung, but also Hong Kong. But Whampoa cannot be a prosperous trading centre unless the Kowloon-Canton Railway were linked up with the Canton-Hankow Railway,
and unless the river were deepened. Once these works were effected, steamers could go alongside the wharves and discharge their cargoes almost on the railway trucks.
which will carry them straight on to Hankow.
MR. LIANG SHIH-YI says that it has afforded him very great plea-
sure to hear from His Excellency that Hong Kong does not regard Whampoa, when developed, as a rival but as a comple-
ment. This is the first time that he has ever heard such
an observation from a Governor of Hong Kong. He is sure
that General Li will be very pleased to hear of it, and
he is equally sure that the Chinese people, who have been wanting to see Whampoa developed into a port of importance,
will also be glad to hear of it. Once this sentiment is publicly announced, the relations now subsisting between
*** China and Great Britain will improve materially.
He desires, with His Excellency's permission, to
recapitulate the four important matters mentioned by Mr. Fung. The first is the restoration of the good relation- ship between Canton and Hong Kong Governments. The second
is that the Canton Government should devise means of dis-
posing of the Hong Kong strikers now still in Canton.
The third is that Canton should strive to have a stable
government; and the fourth is the extirpation of brigand- age and piracy in the Province. As regards the second
matter, Mr. Fung informed him as well as Sir Shouson Chow