CO129-322 - Acting Governor May - 1904 [1-5] — Page 360

12581

CONFIDENTIAL.

Hongkong.

0.0

358

Goverment House,

Hongkong, 11th. March, 1904,

·T USE ON.

sir, Lob

7141

40. ff

COLONIAL

OFFIC

With reference to my Confidential Despatch

of the 30th. of January last.

last/1

I have the honour to transmit for

7

Nove

your information the enclosed copy of translation of a letter

(received from a trustworthy source) from the Chinese Minister

at Washington to the Director of Chinese Railways on the sub-

ject of disputes that have arisen between the Belgian and

American shareholders in the Railway Concession which is held

by the American China Development Company.

2.

The course that I should like to see adopt-

ed would be for the Chinese Goverment to cancel the Conces-

sion on the ground that its terms have been infringed by per-

mitting persons who are not Americans to acquire shares in it

and to re-grant it to a British and American Syndicate.

3.

?

I can only repeat that I regard it of

vital importance to this Colony and to British Trade generally

that England should have a substantial and if possible a con-

trolling interest in any Railways connecting the Yangtze

Valley with South China.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

7 + No pat

ALFRED LYTTELTON, K.C., M.P.,

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your most obedient Hunble servant.

Officer Administering the Government.

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