PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
PREC.O. 882
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
136
given to me this morning by Bland there appears to be two important points of difference:-
(1) Price of loan issue; and
(2) Five per cent, commission to Corporation on material bought.
As regards No. 1. Tong proposes a fixed price of 964, or a price of 4 below issue price. As to No. 2, Tong offers 5 per cent. commission on purchases of British material only, with the understanding that British goods after tender shall have been preferable at equal prices. Bland asks 5 per cent. on all material purchased outside China.
I have recommended Bland to persevere, but he tells me that he has telegraphed to the Corporation, and no doubt wants Legation to intervene. The points of difference do not appear to me so important as Bland considers them, and, from my knowledge of Tong, I feel sure that interference from us at this stage to obtain a better issue price or more commission would not expedite matters. I think that Corporation should be asked to instruct Bland to insist on patience. He should not expect to conclude a compact of this kind with Chinese negotiators in a fortnight.
33613
GENTLEMEN,
No. 285.
COLONIAL OFFICE to CROWN AGENTS.
[Answered by No. 294.]
Downing Street, September 13, 1906. I AM directed by the Earl of Elgin to forward to you a copy of a telegram* which has been received from the Governor of Hong Kong with regard to the Canton- Kowloon Railway, and to request that you will communicate its contents to Sir J. Wolfe Barry, and ask him whether an inspection will be possible this year.
34545
SIR,
No. 286.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
CROWN AGENTS to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received September 18, 1906.)
Whitehall Gardens, London, S.W., September 17, 1906. Hong Kong Kowloon-Canton Railway Survey.
WITH our letter of the 19th of April, 1905.† we forwarded, among others, a copy of a letter dated the 15th of Apríl, from the Consulting Engineers, on the subject of the estimated cost of the surveys for the British section of the Kowloon- Canton Railway. In the seventh paragraph of their letter, the Consulting Engineers estimated the cost of the reconnaissance survey of both eastern and western routes at £1,800, and the cost of the location survey of the eastern route at £1,785, making a total of £3,585, and in the first paragraph of their letter of the 15th March, 1905, a copy of which was communicated to you with ours of the 22nd,‡ they stated that their fee for reporting upon the result of the surveys would be £525. The estimated cost of the surveys which have been carried out was, there- fore, £4,110.
2. I now enclose, for the information of the Earl of Elgin, a copy of a letter and enclosure which we have received from the Consulting Engineers, from which it will be seen that the actual cost of the surveys has amounted to £3,303 4s, 5d., being a saving on the estimate of £806 15s. 7d.
• No. 283.
↑ No. 81.
‡ No. 73.
3.
437
We have paid Sir John Wolfe Barry and Partners the outstanding amount, viz., £803 4s. 5d., and have reported the matter to the Colonial Government.
I have, &c.,
Enclosure in No. 286.
E. E. BLAKE.
Messrs. Sir JOHN WOLFE BARRY AND PARTNERS to CROWN AGENTS.
GENTLEMEN,
21, Delahay Street, Westminster, S.W., August 28, 1906. Kowloon-Canton Railway-British Section. Reconnaissance and Location Surveys.
WE beg to enclose herewith a statement of the agreed fee for our reports on the result of the reconnaissance surveys for the above, and of the location survey, together with particulars of the expenses incurred.
The statement of expenses (which include not only the cost of the reconnaissance surveys but also that of the location survey of the selected route) shows that the amount expended in England for passage monies, equipment (including surveying instruments), proportion of engineers' salaries, &c., amounted to £1,480 15s. 6d., and that the sum of £1,297 8s. 11d. was expended in the Colony.
Mr. Bruce submitted to His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong statements showing how the monies remitted from this country were expended in the Colony up to the completion of the reconnaissance surveys and subsequently. Of the total expenditure in the Colony approximately one-half was in respect of the reconnais- sance surveys, and we think (if it be desired to divide the total expenditure between the reconnaissance and location surveys) that one moiety of such expenditure may be allocated to each.
With regard to the equipment, both in England and in the Colony, we beg to inform you that the surveying instruments were handed over by Mr. Bruce to the Public Works Department, together with the camp furniture, unexpended stationery, &c.
We enclose vouchers for the items of expenditure in this country marked "C" in the statement. As vouchers for the payments made in the Colony we enclose duplicates of the statements refererd to above as having been submitted by Mr. Bruce to the Governor of Hong Kong, together with Mr. Bruce's cash book and banker's pass book and the vouchers obtained by him for certain of his payments.
We also enclose comprehensive receipts from Mr. Bruce and Mr. Valpy in respect of their salaries and in discharge of all our liabilities to them under their agreements.
We shall be much obliged if you will return the vouchers, &c., when done with.
We are, &c., For Sir JOHN WOLFE BARRY AND PARTNERS,
E. CRUTTWELL.
The CROWN AGENTS FOR THE COLONIES to Sir JOHN WOLFE BARRY AND PARTNERS.
Sir John Wolfe Barry and Partners,
21, Delahay Street, Westminster, S.W., August 28, 1906. Kowloon-Canton Railway-British Section.
Reconnaissance and Location Surveys.
Payments made in London.
V. 188 (2 parts) Passage money, Mr. Bruce and
Mr. Valpy
V. 197 Baggage insurances, do., do.
Railway fares, &c., do., do.
£194 0 0
2
8
9
5 8 9
£201 15 6
Proportion of Engineers' salaries :-
V. 231 (2 parts) Mr. J. C. Bruce
V. 284
V. 232 (2 parts) Mr. F. W. W. Valpy
Fees of Examining Physician :—
V. 195 Dr. Smallpiece
438
£722 12 6
296 19 4
£1,019 11 10
£2 2 0
6 15 0
8 17 0
£11 1 5
72 2 6
9 11
2 7
40000
V. 238 Fees of Solicitors (Messrs. Hopgoods and
Dowson)
Equipment (including surveying instruments):
V. 198 Messrs J. Halden and Co.
V. 199 Messrs. Troughton and Simms
V. 200 Messrs. Stewart and Co.
V. 201 Mr. Patrick Adie ...
V. 202 Messrs. Waterlow and Sons
V. (parcel of six) cablegrams
Office time and incidental expenses in London
4 5 0
99 6 11 10 8 2 141 1 1
Payments in the Colony. Payments made by Mr. Bruce in Hong Kong on our account, including the proportion of the salary of himself and Mr. Valpy payable in the Colony to the date of sailing for home (February 23rd, 1906), also including camp and travelling expenses in the Colony, additional assistance, labour, &c., &c....
Received on account
Agreed fee for report...