CO129-326 - Foreign Office - 1904 — Page 107

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line should then take a direction due West towards

Canton, through a densely inhabited district.

tween Sheklung and Canton some bridging would be

necessary, owing to the creeks and tributaries, but

·Be-

none requiring a large span, with the exception of

that across the East River near the former place.

As a lucrative feeder to this the main line,

and as essential to the development of trade with

Walchow, I would suggest that a branch be laid from

Sheklung to Walchow. It would be only about thirty

miles in length and its construction would be com-

paratively simple. The country is flat and the

streams to be crossed are narrow and could be bridged

at small cost. The estimated total length of the

railway from Kowloon to Canton, if laid on the above

route, is about one hundred miles, making, with

the proposed branch to Walchow, some 130 miles in

They would traverse a country teeming with

all.

population and rich in natural products.

They would

clash with no vested interests, such as the river

steamboat companies, for they would not follow the

same line of country, and they would not even touch at

Whampoa, which is already well served by the great

waterway on which it is situated.

The enterprise is a tempting one in spite of some

few engineering difficulties in the New Territory, and

if these are regarded as so serious as to constitute

a drawback, perhaps His Majesty's Government might be

induced to assist, either by a grant of money or land,

or by a guarantee. In any event, no trifling obstacle

of this kind should be allowed to delay the construc-

tion of this railway, so vital to British interests.

Now that French agents are so actively creating French

墉

interests and promoting French prestige in the Two

Kwang, by subsidizing steamboats on the rivers, extend-

ing railways to the frontiers, establishing banks,

mercantile agencies, hospitals, and post offices, no

time should be lost, no money spared to maintain that

paramount position in Kwangtung Great Britain has

hitherto enjoyed, but which may easily be imperilled if

steamboat

parsimony,