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Petition which Fung was to send on to the Viceroy—the communications having hitherto been only verbal. I found it was no use asking for a Concession direct to a foreign Company, so the arrangement was that Mr. Fung and some of his friends should form a small native Company and get the Concession, and that the charter should authorize them to borrow foreign capital and pledge the works as security, with foreign management and control pending the continuance of the loan which was to be gradually redeemed by a sinking fund. The Viceroy was further to report to the Government (Central) and get his grant approved. On the issue of an order or grant on these terms by the Viceroy, my Company was to pay down a certain sum as Yamên fees. Mr. Li, who I supposed was behind the scenes, informed me that it was quite understood our Company was to finance a scheme, and that there would be no difficulty in the proposal being accepted, as the whole city was most anxious to have a pure-water supply.
This was in the month of February, but up to date no Concession has been granted. While we were still in Canton, engaged as above, the French Consul sent a message to Mr. Fung asking him to call and inspect some rare old vases—Mr Fung being a well-known curio hunter. Mr. Fung did so, and after a friendly chat M. Hardouin introduced the subject of waterworks, saying he had a friend in Hong Kong, a capable engineer who could finance the scheme, construct works, and at the same time make it well worth Fung's while to accept. This Mr. Fung reported to me at the time, and I have, no doubt, faithfully.
Later on, however, various facts have come to my notice which, coupled with the long delay, make me suspicious that something underhand is going on, and I am not quite satisfied any longer of the bona fides of Mr. Fung. I have pointed out several paragraphs that have appeared in the native papers as local items of news inconsistent with his professions to us, and his answer now is: "If you don't like the Concession you need not take it," implying that he knows some one else who will.
I intend, however, to hold him (Mr. Fung) to his contract with us, and do not intend allowing the Concession going into French hands if I can help it. In this I trust that I may have, if need be, your Excellency's support.
The local paragraphs, however, which I refer to, do not, I am bound to say, point to French influence, but suggest rather that Fung and his friends are trying to run the scheme as a native concern and without foreign capital. Of course, if they think they can do so we cannot, I conceive, complain, because I have no sort of promise from the Canton authorities that the scheme would be intrusted to a foreign Company.
I have, &c. (Signed) G. JAMIESON.
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4
Petition which Fung was to send on to the Viceroy--the communications having hitherto been only verbal. I found it was no use asking for a Concession direct to a foreign Company, so the arrangement was that Mr. Fung and some of his friends should form a small native Company and get the Concession, and that the charter should authorize them to borrow foreign capital and pledge the works as security, with foreign management and control pending the continuance of the loan which was to be gradually redeemed by a sinking fund. The Viceroy was further to report to the Government (Central) and get his grant approved. On the issue of an order or grant on these terms by the Viceroy, my Company was to pay down a certain sum as Yamên fees. Mr. Li, who I supposed was bebind the scenes, informed me that it was quite understood our Company was to finauce a scheme, and that there would be no difficulty in the proposal being accepted, as the whole city was most anxious to have a pure-water supply.
This was in the month of February, but up to date no Concession has been granted. While we were still in Canton, engaged as above, the French Consul sent a message to Mr. Fung asking him to call and inspect some rare old vases-Mr Fung being a well-known curio bunter. Mr. Fung did so, and after a friendly chat M. Hardouin introduced the subject of waterworks, saying he had a friend in Hong Kong, a capable engineer who could finance the scheme, construct works, and at the same time make it well worth Fung's while to accept. This Mr. Fung reported to me at the time, and I have, no doubt, faithfully.
Later on, however, various facts have come to my notice which, coupled with the long delay, make me suspicious that something underhand is going on, and I am not quite satisfied any longer of the bona fides of Mr. Fung. I have pointed out several paragraphs that have appeared in the native papers as local items of news inconsistent with his professions to us, and his answer now is: "If you don't like the Concession you need not take it," implying that he knows some one else who will.
I intend, however, to hold him (Mr. Fung) to his contract with us, and do not intend allowing the Concession going into French hands if I can help it. In this I trust that I may have, if need be, your Excellency's support.
The local paragraphs, however, which I refer to, do not, I am bound to say, point to French influence, but suggest rather that Fung and his friends are trying to run the scheme as a native concern and without foreign capital. Of course, if they think they can do so we cannot, I conceive, complain, because I have no sort of promise from the Canton authorities that the scheme would be intrusted to a foreign Company.
I have, &c. (Signed) G. JAMIESON.
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