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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

410

and Lord Elgin would be glad to be furnished with copies of any instructions on the matter that may be sent to His Majesty's Representative at Peking.

26132

No. 268.

I am, &c.,

C. P. LUCAS.

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received July 18, 1906.)

[Copy to Governor, July 27, 1906, Confidential. L.F.]

SIR,

Foreign Office, July 17, 1906. I AM directed by Secretary Sir Edward Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant* respecting the negotiations for the Canton-Kowloon Railway

With regard to your statement in the above-mentioned letter that the Chinese authorities were pressing forward a scheme for the construction of a railway to Swatow and Amoy, I am to inform you that, in reply to enquiries, His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking reports that he has received no official answer from the Chinese Government to the representations mentioned in your letter as regards the projected Whampoa line, but that Tang Shao-Yi had stated privately that the Wai-wu-pu knew nothing officially of this project.

Sir Edward Grey informed Mr. Carnegie, in reply, that Tang's statement as to there being no official information about the Whampoa line was unsatisfactory, and instructed him at the same time to express the hope that enquiry would be made concerning this line, and that the Provincial authorities would be warned against breaking the engagements of the Chinese Government under the Canton-Kowloon Preliminary Agreement.

With regard to the appointment of a negotiator for the Canton-Kowloon Railway negotiations, Mr. Carnegie reports that there are hopes of a favourable reply shortly, and I am to inform you that Sir Edward Grey has approved his refusal to refer the Canton-Kowloon negotiations back to Canton.

Copies of the correspondence with Mr. Carnegie which has been summarized in this letter have been forwarded to your Department in a communication† which has crossed your letter now under reply.

(Confidential.) (No. 139.)

411

Enclosure in No. 269.

Mr. CARNEGIE to Sir Edward Grey.

(Received July 18, 12.35 p.m.)

Peking, July 18, 1906. Your telegram, No. 125 [of 7th July: Canton-Kowloon and Canton-Whampoa Railways].

I have received a note from the Chinese Government, stating that Viceroy of Canton has been notified that Canton-Kowloon Railway will be negotiated by the Wai-wu Pu, and a representative of the British and Chinese Corporation together with a representative from Canton is to be sent to Peking.

Wai-wu Pu have not yet answered my inquiries respecting the Whampoa Hong Kong informed.

scheme.

27590

No. 270.

GOVERNOR SIR M. NATHAN to THE EARL OF ELGIN. (Received July 28, 1906.)

[Copy to Foreign Office, August 8, 1906. L.F.]

(No. 162.) MY LORD,

Government House, Hong Kong, June 20, 1906. I HAVE the honour to enclose in original a letter from Mr. G. Trafford Hewitt, Director of "The London and Tokyo Syndicate, Limited," on the subject of financing the Chinese section of the Canton-Kowloon Railway.

2. The letter has come to me in the circumstance of no such official existing as "the British Consul, Kowlung." I know nothing of the Syndicate from which the letter purports to emanate, and in view of the doubtful suggestion at the end of it, have caused no reply to be sent. I transmit the letter fn case it is considered advisable that notice should be taken of it.

I have, &c.,

M. NATHAN,

Governor, &c.

Director.

6

26461

(Confidential.)

No. 269.

I am,

&c.,

ERIC BARRINGTON.

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received July 20, 1906.)

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, and, Mr. Carnegie, Peking, No. 139, July 18,

with reference to the letter from this Office of 1906.

July 17, is directed by the Secretary of State to transmit the accompanying copy of a telegram, as marked in the margin.

DEAR SIR,

Enclosure in No. 270.

The London and Tokyo Syndicate, Limited,

2, Broad Street Place, London, E.C., May 18, 1906.

I NOTE in the London papers that China has given way on the question of the railway between Canton and Kowlung. The section in the neighbourhood of the former is to be carried out by China, and that near Kowlung by the British. For this purpose China will borrow in Great Britain, giving the railway revenues as security.

I should be glad if you could give me any information with regard to this matter, as I should like this Syndicate to have the opportunity of issuing the necessary loan required by China on the security of the railway revenues. I wrote to the Chinese Legation here, but they were unable to give me any information. If you could use your good offices in any way to assist me in securing this business, naturally my Syndicate will be willing to recognise your efforts on their behalf.

Yours, &c.,

G. TRAFFORD HEWITT,

The British Consul,

Kowlung, China.

• No. 267-

† No. 266.

‡ No. 268.

18885

Foreign Office,

July 19, 1906.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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