CO129-324 - Governor Nathan - 1904 [10-12] — Page 111

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continue to operate in British Territory except with the ex-

press sanction of this Goverment, especially in view of the

fact that the Chinese have always objected to a British Com-

Zines the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company-owning andə

in China and so have shown their views as to rights of sover-

-eignty in this matter.

pany

It seems, however, useless to make further

representations to the Director-General of Chinese Telegraphs

and diplomatic representations through His Britannic Majesty's

Minister at Fering would probably only result in further pro-

tracted correspondence.

13.

In these circumstances I propose to intro-

duce an Ordinance into the Legislature making the construction

and working of Telegraph Lines illegal in the future without

a licence from this Goverment which would he issued on such

terms and under such conditions as the Governor in Council

might determine. If such an Ordinance were passed I should

recommend the grant of a licence to the Chinese Telegraph

Administration subject to an annual payment and to various

conditions one of which would be that the ownership of the

actual line should be recognised as vested in the Hongkong

Goverment in the same way as the ownership of the line to

the old frontier was so recognised. The Chinese Telegraph

Administration would then be allowed to work, maintain, and

take the profits from the line as they do now. This would be

a better arrangement than for the Government or Eastern Exten-

sion Telegraph Company to take over the maintenance and work-

ing of the line within British Territory as it would not in-

volve a transmitting station at the frontier which would be

necessary