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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O. 882

6

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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3. On the 15th August there appeared in the Chinese newspapers the text of a Proclamation purported to be issued by the Viceroy and by Chang, Minister of Commerce, on the acquisition of land for this Railway, and on the following day translations of this Proclamation appeared the English papers. On the 17th the Consul-General at Canton, in reply to a telegram I had sent him stated that he had telegraphed to you with regard to this Proclamation, of which I now send a copy and translation.

4. Mr. Mansfield had previously acquainted me with his telegram to you of the 11th August to the effect that the Board of Commerce had given their sanction for this Railway, that the Straits Chinese had already subscribed $4,000,000, that the firm of Carlowitz and Company were to receive the contract for the materials, and that there seemed no doubt that the Chinese intended to build the line.

5. I should be glad to learn early the result of

any further representations you may see fit to make to the Wai Wu Pu at this deliberate intention on the part of the Chinese authorities to infringe the preliminary agreement they entered into in March, 1899, with regard to the Canton-Kowloon Railway.

I have, &c.,

The Honourable L. Carnegie, M.V.O.,

SIR,

His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires,

Peking.

M. NATHAN.

Detective Office, Central Police Station, Hong Kong, August 13, 1906. I HAVE the honour to report, for your information, that from enquiries made I find that there is one foreigner, named H. H. Just, a Dane, employed as Engineer Surveyor on the proposed Canton and Whampoa Railway. He resides at Whampoa, but usually spends the week end at Canton, at the Victoria Hotel. He was recom- mended for this position by Arnold, Karbug and Company, Shamien, Canton. There are no other foreigners employed on this line, but there is a rumour to the effect that the Chinese Government are about to engage another man.

***

The Captain Superintendent of Police,

Hong Kong.

*

I have, &c.,

A. TENNETT

Police Sergeant, No. 21

An EXTRACT from the "Shiu Nin Po" of the 29th July, 1900. (Translation.)

The construction of the Canton-Whampoa Railway undertaken by a new engineer. The American engineer, Mackie (?), who was engaged by Cheung Pat-sz to construct the Canton-Whampoa Railway has been dismissed, owing to his dilatori- ness in surveying. The newly appointed Danish engineer, named Choto (?), has arrived at Canton. He proposes to start surveying the line and purchasing lands immediately, and commence the work of construction in the beginning of autumn (ie., the 7th moon). In reply to the Viceroy's despatch Cheung has reported the above to him, and asked him to direct the Pun U Magistrate to send some guards for the purpose of affording protection. The Viceroy, on receipt of Cheung's report, has ordered the Prefect and Magistrate to note and act accordingly

An EXTRACT from the "Wai San Yat Po" of the 14th August, 1906. (Translation.)

Arrangements for constructing the Canton-Whampoa Railway, and for opening Whampoa as a Treaty Port.

The Canton-Whampoa Railway has long been surveyed by the officers deputed by Cheung Pat-sz and Shum Chun-hun. Recently they again sent a number of

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engineers to investigate and survey the whole route, and to fix up poles to mark off lands required for the use of the railway. When these are completed, the Magis- trate will prepare a list of lands required to be purchased, and notify the respective owners to produce their title deeds relating to the lands specified in the list, and receive the purchase money. As regards the opening of Whampoa as a Treaty Port, surveyors have been sent to mark off the lands that may be necessary for that purpose.

PROCLAMATION by His Excellency the VICEROY and His Excellency CHANG CHIEN HSUN.

(Translation.)

In view of the importance of railway extension to commercial development, the sanction of the Board of Commerce has been obtained for the formation of a company to undertake the construction of a line from Canton to Amoy. The first section of this line, from Ch'uan Lung K'ou, outside the East Gate of Canton, to Lu Chia Wei, in Whampoa, is thirteen miles in length. It then passes through Tseng Ch'ong, Shih Lung Chen, in Tung Kuan, Po Lo, Kuei Shan, Hai Feng, and Lu Feng, in Hui Chou; Hui Lai, P'u Ning, and Chieh Yang Districts in Ch'ao Chou, branching off to outside the City of Ch'ao Chou viâ Yao Ping, and thence to Amoy. The length of the line will be about 500 miles.

Officers have been deputed, in conjunction with the Pan Yu Magistrate, to thoroughly survey the localities through which the first section of the line, from Canton to Whampoa, is to pass, and no obstacles have been discovered in the nature of dwelling houses or graves to prevent the immediate delineation and purchase of the route, and the commencement of operations.

Owners of property on route, other than waste land belonging to Government, which shall be acquired on such terms as are customary in the locality, should produce all title deeds to the Company for inspection, and the land shall be purchased at a fair price calculated on the average of recent years. Owners of graves, houses, fruit trees, ponds, &c., on land thus required, shall be reimbursed at a fair valuation by the Company for all monies expended on the construction, purchase, or removal of the same. In order that the general public may derive as much benefit as possible from the scheme, any owner who shall prefer payment in shares in the line may notify the Company to that effect, and shall be allotted shares, bearing interest annually, in proportion to the value of his land. But no owner shall raise the price of his property or hold the same until the market price has gone up, and thus obstruct the scheme to the public disadvantage. The Pan Yu Magistrate has been instructed to suppress any disorder that may arise in connection with this matter, and we now issue this proclamation for the information of the public.

Now, therefore, know all men that this railway scheme being of the utmost importance to the prosperity of the district, and to the great advantage of all classes, all land required by the Canton-Amoy Railway Company shall be sold at a fair price, and no attempt made to obtain control of the same or to raise the price thereof to the detriment of the public. Disobedience to this Proclamation will be dealt with severely and without mercy.

35266

No. 292.

GOVERNOR SIR M. NATHAN to THE EARL OF ELGIN. (Received September 24, 1906.)

(Secret.)

MY LORD,

Government House, Hong Kong, August 22, 1906. REFERRING to my secret despatch of the 3rd instant,* on the subject of the proposed engagement of a Belgian engineer to superintend the construction of the Canton-Hankow Railway, I have the honour to enclose a copy of the Viceroy's reply, dated the 8th instant, to the Consul-General's protest in the matter.

2. As the reply did not seem to me satisfactory, I wrote to Mr. Mansfield on the 13th, that I found it difficult to reconcile the Viceroy's statement with the pub- lished correspondence, and that I was still of opinion that the appointment of a

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