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55
No. 30.
COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.
SIR,
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to acknowledge the receipt of
Downing Street, August 3, 1904. letter of the 26th of July,* on the subject of the proposed railway from Kowloon to Canton.
your
SIR,
2. Mr. Lyttelton is in communication with the British and Chinese Corpora- tion in regard to this matter, and the Marquess of Lansdowne will be informed as soon as any decision has been arrived at.
30900
No. 31.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
No. 34.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received October 26, 1904.)
[Answered by No. 35.]
I AM directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to transmit to you, to be laid
Foreign Office, October 24, 1904. before the Secretary of State for the Colonies, a copy of a letter which has been received from Mr. Edmund Davis, who is anxious to obtain a concession for the construction and equipment of the Canton-Kowloon Railway.
Lord Lansdowne proposes, with the concurrence of Mr. Secretary Lyttelton, to inform Mr. Davis that the British and Chinese Corporation are, His Lordship understands, at present in communication with your Department on the subject of the Canton-Kowloon Railway, and that there is no reason to suppose that the Corporation do not intend to proceed with the undertaking at an early date.
I am, &c.,
F. A. CAMPBELL.
GOVERNOR SIR M. NATHAN to MR. LYTTELTON. (Received 10.10 p.m., September 3, 1904.)
[Answered by No. 53.]
TELEGRAM.
Consider it desirable that land required for railway station jetties, shops, &c., and for line of railway in neighbourhood of Kowloon should be demarcated before any further disposal of Government rights to lands and foreshore there. For this purpose and to further consider alternative routes for line of railway in British terri- tory desirable that experienced railway engineer should be sent out as soon as possible. If this line (is) to be constructed by Government of Hong Kong selection of railway engineer should be made by Consulting Engineers, to whom he would submit plans. If line (is) to be constructed by Company they should abide by decision of Govern- ment of Hong Kong as to route and site of buildings, &c. Railway engineer should consult with Chatham and Lieutenant Bagnell-Wild before sailing.
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No. 32.
GOVERNOR SIR M. NATHAN to MR. LYTTELTON. (Received 8.0 a.m., October 15, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by Nos. 33 and 37.]
What reply can I give to enquiries being made respecting progress of negotiations for construction of railway to Canton?
35628
SIR,
Enclosure in No. 34.
Mr. E. DAVIS to FOREIGn Office.
27 and 28, Old Jewry, London, E.C., October 17, 1904. I AM in receipt of your letter of the 6th instant, and note that His Majesty's Government is unable to give its support to my application for a concession for the construction of a line of railway from Tongshan, owing to its being an interferencé with the interests of the Imperial Railways of North China.
I do not wish to see the capital I have secured for the Tongshan-Pekin line diverted to other channels, and as the sum is sufficient for the construction and equipment of the Canton-Kowloon line, I wish to ascertain whether I could not secure the concession of the said line on my satisfying you that the capital will be forthcoming and the construction of the line immediately proceeded with,
I am aware of the fact that the British and Chinese Corporation has obtained from His Majesty's Government an assurance that the concession of the said line should become its property; but I beg to respectfully point out that I understand that the concession has practically been at the disposal of the group referred to since April, 1898, and that I have strong reasons for stating that it does not intend to immediately proceed with the financing and construction of the line.
It may be hardly necessary for me to point out that energetic steps are being taken by a section of the American China Development Company group to obtain an outlet for the Hankau-Canton Railway, whether it be at Macao through the intermediary of Portuguese concessionaires or otherwise, and should any of these steps result successfully irreparable harm will be done to our Colony of Hong Kong.
I am, &c.,
EDMUND DAVIS.
The Under Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs.
No. 33.
MR. LYTTELTON to GOVERNOR SIR M. NATHAN (Sent 11.50 a.m., October 18, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
Your telegram of 15th October. You should reply impossible to make any statement at the present time.
• No. 29.
+ Xo. 32.
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No. 35.
SIR,
COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE. [Answered by Nos. 36 and 42.]
your
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to acknowledge the receipt of
Downing Street, October 29, 1904. letter of the 24th instant,* forwarding a copy of a communication from Mr. E. Davis with reference to the construction of a railway from Canton to Kowloon.
No. 34.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
9
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPĤ—NOT TO