CO129-220 - Governor Sir Bowen - 1885 [1-3] — Page 287

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into China of the telegraph, which now connects, the principal cities from Viking to Canton. do it will -probably be with the construction of railways, which appears to an have been authorized by a recent Imperial ediot, issued chiefly :: consequence of the defect of

communications and facilities for the movement of troops and

in

warlike stores to the districts.

threatened by the French. There is still, however, much opposition to railways not only from the

vested

vested interests of the owners and

crews

of junks, and canal boats, and from the carters and packhorse-men, who have hitherto

enjoyed a monopoly of the inland traffic of China; but also from the inveterate hatred of all innovation

which is the main characteristic.

of the was last year entertained at.

governing classes. When I

འ

Tientsin, on my way to Peking, by Li Hing Chang, (probably the most able and powerful statesman of

na) 9.

China) I had much conversation

wi

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