CO129-320 - Governor Sir Blake Acting Governor May - 1903 [11-12] — Page 219

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gkong on this subject.

rstood that the engineering difficulties to be encountered on the firı miles of the route through British territory have potentially contri- ted to cause the delay in commencing the undertaking, my Committee woul ke here to suggest a plan walch, in their opinion, would assist to ensu

le railway proving remmerative,

Much discussion nas ensued thereon; and it i

Instead of following the route which is generally believed to hav n selected, it is, in the opinion of those who know the country, desir-

le that the line should, after passing Shamchun, proceed along that lley towards Kai Kong and Pu-Kak, orossing a small ridge to the weat

til it strikes a tributary of the hast River, From thence, following u

is latter valley, the tine should run north to Hon Lan, and from there

rough a fertile country up to Sheklung, a populous town in the Tungkun

atrict. The Mast River would have to be crossed near Sheklung,

and the

he should then take a direction due West towards Canton, through a dense

Inhabited district. Between Sheklung and Canton some bridging would y

jessary, owing to the creeks and tributaries, but none requiring a large

, with the exception of that across the Rast River near the former

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ce. As a lucrative feadar to this main ling, and as essential to the

elopment of trade with Walchow, I would suggest that a branch be laid

Sheklung to Walchow. It would be only about thirty miles in length, its construction would be comparatively simple. The country is flat

the streams to be crossed are narrow and could be bridged at small cos estimated total length of the railway from Kowloon to Canton, if laid the above route, is about one hundred miles, making, with the proposed moh to Walchow, some 130 miles in all, They would traverse a country wing with population and rich in natural products, They would clash

no vested interests, such as the river steamboat companies, for they Id not follow the same line of country, and they would not even touch poa, which is already well served by the great waterway on which it ated.

The enterprise is a tempting one in spite of some few enginee Noulties in the New Territory, and if these are regarded as so ac