CO129-331 - Public Offices - 1905 — Page 349

2

3

(c.) THE SOUTHERN SYSTEM (Total Length, 289 Miles).

342

Length.

Remarks.

Miles.

24

In exploitation.

2. Mytho-Cantho

57

One of the lines decreed in 1895; in course of

survey.

3. Cantho Pnompenh

124

* Saigon Poompenh

84

Projected. Projected.

I-Railway Communications in Indo-China.

1. Summary of Main Lines.

The following is a brief summary of the present state of railway construction in

the French Colony. For the purpose of clearness the various lines are here grouped under three headings, namely:-

(a.) The Northern System;

(b.) The Hanoi-Saigon Trunk Line; and

(6.) The Southern System.

(6.) THE NORTHERN SYSTEM (Total Length, 340 Miles).

Line.

1. Saigon-Mytho

Line.

Length.

Miles.

1, Hanoi-Haiphong

60

In exploitation.

2. Ilanoi-Langson

90

3. Hanoi-Lackay

178

Remarks,

Now extended to Porte de Chine, on the Kwangsi frontier, making a total length of 102 miles in exploitation.

In exploitation up to Traihutt, 60 miles from Laokay; total length under traffic, 118 miles.

The length of line under traffic on this system is therefore 280 miles.

(6.) HANOI-SAIGON TRUNK LINE (Total Length, about 1,100 Miles).

Line.

Length.

Miles.

1, Hanoi Vinh

203

2. Vigh-Kwangtri

186

3. Kwangtri-Fourane

106

4 Tourane-Nhatrang

372

Remarks.

This line was one of those forecast in the programme of 1898; it was opened to traffic in March 1905,

Projected; in course of survey.

Decreed in 1898-

(a) Kvaugtri-Hae; 44 miles; surveyed and construction authorized January 1905.

(b.) Hue-Tourane; 62 miles; in course of

construction.

Projected--

(2.) Tourane-Bindinh; 217 miles; not yet

surveyed.

(b.} Bindinh-Nhatrang;

155 miles; in

3. Nhatrang-Saigon

232

course of survey. Decreed in 1898-

(about)

about

(@.) Nhatrang-Phanthiet-Tanlinh;

150 miles; surveyed and construction authorized January 1905.

(b.) Tanlinh-Kilom. 71; 88 miles; in con-

struction.

(c.) Kilom. 71-Saigon; 44 miles; in ex-

ploitation.

The length of this line under traffic is 247 miles.

The length of line in this system under trabe is only 24 miles. The grand total for the whole of the Colony is over 550 miles,

2. Northern System.

(a.) The Laokay Line.

Those lines included in the northern system which were forecast in the Decree of 1898 are now entirely finished, except for a length of some 60 miles still required to reach Laokay. The difficulties encountered in the construction of this line to Laokay have been considerable, especially as regards obtaining labour, natives of the delta having a great repugnance against going up-country to stay for any length of time. The line ought to have been finished and handed over to the Yunnan Company by the 1st April of this year. The contractors, however, found the difficulties unsur- mountable; their contracts were cancelled by Government, and the work put en régie. The construction is now progressing, but slowly.

(b.) The Yunnan Line.

In view of the stage at which it has now arrived, and of the importance attached to it by the Indo-China Government, some notice is here necessary of the work of construction of the Yunnan Railway. Although the concession for this line was obtained shortly after the Yunnan acquisition of Kiao-chow, it was not until January of 1904 that the route to be followed by the line was finally decided and approved. The delay of over six years in commencing the work is explained by the spirit in which the enterprise was approached.

In 1901 Lord Curzon had not yet declared that the proposed railway from Burmah The to Yunnan was too costly an undertaking for the ends it would achieve.

line into Yuunan would be Indo-China Government feared that their own anticipated, and accordingly had the surveys completed with feverish haste. As a result, on finding that there was more leisure for the undertaking thau expected, the Government, consideration, decided that the surveys were unsatisfactory, and required fresh ones. Again, another factor in the delay was the centralization policy of the Home Government, owing to which any change in the details of the scheme had to be approved in Paris before being authorized for execution. However, a satisfactory route has now been traced and substituted by the Home Government for the hastily drawn up scheme of 1901.

on

This new route passes through the unhealthy valley of the Namti, well to the east of Mêngtse, and reaches Yunnan-fu by way of A-mi Chow and I-lang Hsien. The new tracing is not without its drawbacks, and it was only after long hesitation that the Governor-General selected the eastern route. The western tracing by way of Mêngtse, Lin-an-fu and Sinn-Hsinn Chow passed nearer to the populous centres of the rich lake basin of Yunnan, while the eastern follows the almost deserted valley of the Pa-ta Ho, though a branch may be made to tap the fertile region round the Chin Kiang Lake. On the other hand, the western route ascended the Yunnan Plateau by the steep valley of the Sin-chien Ho, while the eastern finds a much easier access by the Namti Valley. In regard to mines, the products of which are expected to form the bulk of the imports from Yunnan to Indo-China, it is not known on which route they are better or more numerous, but, at any rate, in several places along the eastern tracing there are said to be excellent coal mines. The distance