108
it is not advisable that any portion of the loan should be raised on a permanent basis until the whole amount can be issued, as the borrowing being required for ten years, and not only for a short period, as in the case of the short-dated debentures recently issued to provide advances to the planters, we propose to make a public issue, and an issue of such a sum as £200,000 would, in our opinion, be likely to command a better price than if two issues were made of lesser amount.
5. We would therefore propose, with the approval of the Secretary of State, to continue to make temporary advances for the present to meet the requirements of the Colony, and to telegraph to the Colonial Government to this effect in answer to their telegram.
109
your letter of the 26th June,* in which you ask for authority to borrow funds for Mauritius up to a limit of £110,000, and temporarily beyond that limit, if necessary, under the two Ordinances to which you refer.
2. You further propose to continue to make temporary advances for the present to meet the requirements of the Colony, instead of raising any part of the loan under the Ordinances on a permanent basis, and to telegraph to the Govern- ment to this effect.
3. Mr. Chamberlain approves of your proceeding as you propose in
your letter.
I am,
&c.,
H. BERTRAM COX.
19583
I have, &c.,
E. E. BLAKE.
23293
No. 91.
No. 87.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR SIR C. BRUCE.
(Sent 1.40 p.m., June 30, 1903.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 99.]
[See No. 88.]
Referring to your despatch, No. 148.* Do you propose construction of Savanne line? What will be the cost? Will loan be required for it?
23293
No. 88.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR SIR C. BRUCE. (Sent 3.34 p.m., June 30, 1903.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 105.]
Cancel telegramt as to Savanne line. Proposals contained in your telegram of June 23rd approved.
24293
No. 89.
GOVERNOR SIR C. BRUCE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN. (Received 1.12 p.m, July 1, 1903.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 92.]
In reply to your telegram of yesterday's date. † Estimated cost of construction of Savanne line Rs. 100,000. No loan required; sufficient provision included in Appropriation Ordinance, and Estimates show surplus of nearly Rs. 300,000. In view of critical state of affairs threatened entailing serious consequences, I have ventured to assume responsibility for commencing work in anticipation of approval, and hope to be ready for traffic in good time.
23659
GENTLEMEN,
No. 90.
COLONIAL OFFICE to CROWN AGENTS. [Copy to Governor, July 2, 1903, No. 131. L.F.]
Downing Street, July 2, 1903. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to acknowledge the receipt of
No. 81.
• Nu. 76.
† No. 87.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR SIR C. BRUCE.
(Confidential.)
SIR,
Downing Street, July 6, 1903. I HAVE informed you in my telegram of the 30th of June that the proposals for the construction of a line of railway in the Black River District, put forward in your despatch, No. 150, of the 27th Aprilf are approved,
In view of the request for an early decision contained in your telegrams of the 17th and 23rd ultimo,§ I have sanctioned this scheme as a matter of urgency. I should have preferred to have had the opportunity of obtaining the advice of the Consulting Engineers of the Crown Agents on the details of the proposal.
While accepting your assurances that the Public Works Department and Rail- way Department can be trusted to survey and execute the present extension satis- factorily, I am of opinion that in carrying out any future railway extensions involving considerable expenditure, it might be preferable to adopt the system followed in Ceylon and other Colonies, of placing the work under the control of a Resident Engineer, sent out from home, and acting under the advice of the Consulting Engineers. If such an officer were at any time sent out, it would be a satisfaction to obtain an independent report from him on the general condition and working of the Mauritius system of railways.
In view of the loans already raised or being raised for the assistance of planters and of the loan about to be raised for reafforestation I regret the necessity of a further loan for this railway. It is true that the revenue expected from the line will, accord- ing to the estimate, more than cover the debt charges and working expenses, but the estimate of revenue appears to be made on somewhat meagre data, and can scarcely be accepted unhesitatingly.
You will, no doubt, inform me later of the steps taken to secure the necessary sanction of the Legislature for the loan, and of the time when it is to be issued.
I have already informed you in my telegram of the 20th ultimo,* that the pro- posal for a short line in the Long Mountain District is approved.
As regards the line in the Savanne District, I should explain that the earlier of my two telegrams of the 30th ultimo Twas sent before I had read your speech at the opening of the Council of Government on the 12th of May, from which it appears that the cost is estimated at 60,000 rupees only, and that this is to be met, equally with the line in the Long Mountain District, from current balances and the revenues of 1903-4 and 1904-5.
I have, &c.,
24293
No. 92.
J. CHAMBERLAIN.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR SIR C. BRUCE.
(Confidential.)
SIR,
Downing Street, July 8, 1903.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 1st instant,** on the subject of the construction of a railway line in the Savanne district, and to refer you to my confidential despatch of the 6th instant. ††
• No. 86.
† No. 88.
+ No. 77.
Nos. 80 and 84.
| No. 83.
Nos. 87 and 88.
** No. 89.
tt No. 91.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TTIC.O. 882
8 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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