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Enclosure No.2 in Hankow despatch No.13 of 19th March, 1936, to
Xis Majesty's Ambassador at Peking.
From Dr. J,3. Steen, Asting Engineer-in-Chief of the Canton-Hankow
Railway, to X.M. Consul-General at liankow, dated 17th
March, 1936,
G.S. Mess, Esquire, C.M.E.,
A.A.M. Consul-General,
Ha nxo w.
17th Yarch, 1936.
Dear fir,
Confidential.
The Damen-Hankow Railway (Hupek-Hunan Section).
Having asked me to say a few words about the
present state of the open line in Hupeh and Hunan, I
will preface my remarks with a brief statement as t why
I am here at all!
When my predecessor (ur. Valpy) was dismissed
about September 1930, and various questions had been
asked in the House of Commons, with all of which you
will be familiar, I was seconded from the Peking-
Mukden Railway to fill the vacant post "for six
months" pending further arrangements. Unfortunately,
an interval of some 3 months elapsed, between Valpy's
diemisual, sad my arrival in Jamiary 1931. During
this interval, all power passed into the hands of the
Chinese, which was only natural. Se when I arrived
rare, I found an Engineering Department complete with
Engineer-in-Chief ute. The result was that I could
do nothing, merely being ignored, though not prevented
from attending my office, which consisted of one small
room, sad no staff, except the share a Clerk and
office Boy.
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