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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference:

CO. 882

6

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

GENTLEMEN,

104

Enclosure 4 in No. 81.

Sir JOHN WOLFE BARRY AND PARTNERS to CROWN Agents.

WE beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, E. 261/1, of the 12th April,

April 15, 1905. and regret that we have somewhat misapprehended the wishes of the Government with regard to the proposed surveys of the British section of the railway between Kowloon and Canton.

In reply to that letter, we beg to say that the engineer whom we propose to appoint to undertake the reconnaissance surveys required is fully competent to place, if necessary, at the disposal of the Governor in Hong Kong all the information necessary to enable a definite decision to be arrived at as to the route to be adopted for the railway, although, in ordinary course, we should have preferred to have had the opportunity of considering the information ourselves, and of reporting on the subject before such definite decision were come to. We can, however, furnish our representative with full instructions before he leaves England to enable him to report to the Governor as suggested.

If the preparation of the detailed location survey proceeds immediately on the decision of the Governor as to the most advantageous route there would, we think, be sufficient time to enable us to have the opportunity of considering the details of the alignment, such as curves, gradients and tunnels on certain portions of the railway before the centre line is absolutely fixed.

With regard to the amended estimate you desire, we consider that the prepara- tion of the reconnaissance surveys and of the alternative estimates, &c., for submission to the Governor would occupy about six months from the time of leaving England, the work of preparing estimates, &c., being done in Hong Kong instead of on board ship. We estimate that the cost would be much the same as given in our estimate of the 10th April, or, say, £1,800, the extra expense at Hong Kong being balanced by the saving in the return fares. Of course, if the work did not proceed beyond the reconnaissance surveys the additional expense of returning the staff to this country would have to be provided for.

The subsequent expenditure on the detailed location survey of the selected route with the detailed plans and estimates would, of course, depend on the length of the line adopted.

If the eastern route be adopted (the length of which is, roughly speaking, 21 miles) the cost might, instead of being based on our original estimate submitted on the 15th March of £100 per mile, be taken at £85 per mile, amounting to £1,785, and if the western route should be selected (the length of which is about 34 miles), the cost on the same basis might amount to about £2,890.

The total cost, therefore, of the whole work connected with the reconnaissance surveys and detailed surveys, plans, and estimates would, if the eastern route he adopted, amount to (£1,800+ £1,785), £3,585, and if the western route be adopted (£1,800 + £2,890), £4,690.

With regard to the probable time which the work above mentioned will occupy, we are of opinion that if the detailed location survey proceeds immediately on the decision of the Governor and that that decision is given without undue delay after the completion of the reconnaissance surveys, we should be in a position to report to the Government within, say, twelve months from the departure of the staff from England.

We are, &c.,

For SIR JOHN Wolfe Barry and PartnerS. J. WOLFE BARRY.

Enclosure 5 in No. 81.

CROWN AGENTS to Sir JOHN WOLFE Barry and PARTNERS.

(E. 261/1.)

GENTLEMEN,

Kowloon-Canton Railway.

I HAVE to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th April, respecting

April 19, 1905. the proposed survey for a railway between Kowloon and Canton.

105

2. The particulars you have now furnished give us all the information we require, and I have to request that you will proceed with the survey on the lines laid down in our letter of the 12th April and previous correspondence.

3. When you have selected the necessary staff to proceed to Hong Kong, we should be glad to be informed, and to be furnished with copies of the instructions which you have given to the Chief Engineer, in order that copies may be supplied to the Colonial Office and to the Government of Hong Kong.

I am, &c.,

Sir John Wolfe Barry and Partners, 21, Delahay Street, S.W.

13413

(Confidential.)

No. 82.

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received April 22, 1905.)

[Copy to Governor, May 11, 1905. Secrèt. L.F.] [Answered by No. 87.]

E. E. BLAKE.

Foreign Office, April 20, 1905

SIR,

WгTH reference to your letter, 11000, of the 7th_instant,* relative to the reported intention of the Americans to secure a deep-water port near Whampoa as a terminus for the Hankow-Canton Railway, I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to transmit to you, to be laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies, copies of telegraphic correspondence which has passed with His Majesty's Minister at Peking on the subject.

I am to say that Lord Lansdowne would be glad to be favoured with any observations which Mr. Secretary Lyttelton may have to make on Sir E. Satow's telegram.

(Paraphrase.) (No. 56.)

Enclosure 1 in No. 82.

I am, &c.,

F. A. CAMPBELL

THE MARQUESS Of Lansdowne to SIR E. SATOW.

(Sent 4.30 p.m., April 12, 1905.)

TELEGRAM.

Have you any information as to following facts? China Association hear that Americans are endeavouring to arrange for deep-water port at Whampoa as terminus for Hankow-Canton Railway.

If successful, the project might have serious effect on position of Hong Kong, and on prospects of Canton-Kowloon Railway.

In bag of 10th ultimo, we sent you papers respecting final agreement as to Canton-Kowloon Railway, as to which Colonial Office and British and Chinese Corporation have come to terms.

Enclosure 2 in No. 82.

SIR E. SATOW, Peking, to the MARQUESS OF Lansdowne. (Sent 12.10 p.m.; received 2 p.m., April 18, 1905.) TELEGRAM.

(Paraphrase.) (No. 73.)

Your telegram, No. 56 of [April 12th]. In reply to an enquiry of mine, His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton reports: "Railway from Canton to Whampoa is a Chinese project financed by Chang, formerly Chinese Consul-General at Singa- pore, who has had the line surveyed by American engineers, and is now applying for a concession.

• L.F. transmitting a copy of No. 79.

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