Enclosure 2.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Hong Kong.
29
765
Registrar General's Office.
17th May, 1904.
Sir,
21003
JUN 94
I have the honour to report for the information of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government that Mr. Yung Sing-kin left Shanghai on Wednesday last as agent for the promoters of the Macao-Canton railway to make the final arrangements with Sheng, head of the Railway Department.
2. The syndicate formed to build the railway consists of 15 persons, 14 of whom are Heungshan Chinese, the chairman being Chan Fong, the father of Messrs. Douglas Lapraik & Co.'s compradore. There are 22 shares, of which 8 are held by Chan Fong and 2 by the Portuguese Government. It is rumoured that Mr. Ho Tung has been endeavouring to purchase these shares, and I have been told on very good authority that the French Government is doing its best to obtain an interest in the railway, but the Heungshan Chinese are naturally shy of permitting the French to obtain a footing in their district.
3. The promoters of the railway are closely connected with Hong Kong and, if no longer actively engaged in business here, are owners of property and interested in various undertakings. It is reasonable to suppose that they would have been anxious to assist in promoting a railway from Canton to Hong Kong if such an investment had been open to them.
4. Evidence of the anxiety of France to get a firm foothold in the Canton Province has been constantly manifested of late years. Every visitor to Canton notices the number of junks which fly the French Flag. Before the Messageries Cantonaises were running steamers between Hong Kong and Canton, the Chinese owners of the steamships Kwong Chow and Kwong Tung were approached with a view to inducing them to fly the French Flag, and I know one Chinese merchant, a native of Hong Kong,
The Honourable
A. M. Thomson, Colonial Secretary.
Enclosure 2.
CONFIDENTI A L.
Hong Kong.
29
765
Registrar General's Office.
17th. May, 1904.
Sir,
21003
༔',
JON 94
I have the bonour to report for the information of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government that Mr. Yung Sing-kin
For left/Shanghai on Wednesday last as agent for the promoters of the Macao- Canton railway to make the final arrangements with Sheng head of the
Railway Department.
2.The syndicate formed to build the railway consists of 15 persons, 14 of whom are Heungshan Chinese, the chairman being Chan Fong, · the father of Messrs. Dougles Lapraik & Co's compradore. There are 22 shares of which & are held by Chan Fong and 2 by the Fortuguese Govern- ment. It is Rumoured that Mr. Ho Tung has been endeavouring to purchase
turg
tbere shares, and I have been told on very good authority that the
French Government is doing its best to obtain an interest in the railway, but the Heungshan Chinese arebaturally shy of permitting the French to obtain a footing in their district.
3. The promoters of the railway are 11 closely connected with Hong Kong and if no longer actively engaged in business here are owners of property and interested in various undertakings, It is reasonable to suppose that they would have been anxious to assist in promoting a railway from Canton to Hong Kong if such an investment had been open to
them.
4. Evidence of the anxiety of France to get a firm foot-hold in the Canton Province bas been constantly manifested of late years, Every visitor to Canton notices the number of junks which fly the French Flag. Before the Messageries Cantonaises were running steamers between Hong Kong and Canton the Chinese owners of the steamships Kwong Chow and Kwong Tung were approached with a view to inducing them to fly the French Flag, and I know one Chinese Merchant, a native of Hong Kong,
The Honourable
A. M. Thomson, Colonial Secretary.
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