CO129-331 - Public Offices - 1905 — Page 535

of the argument in Prince Ch'ing's Note is based

on

the English text, altogether ignoring the Chi-

nese version and the circumstances of the time, and

I trust that the argument by which I have endeavoured

to rebut His Highness' theory will be approved:

There still remaine in reserve another argument

which can be produced if necessary, namely that the

preliminary agreement of March, 1899, is the first

step towards fulfilling the undertaking contained

in the Convention of 9th June, 1898, that "when

hereafter China constructs a railway to the boundary

of the Kowloon territory under British control, ar-

rangements shall be discussed".

In connexion with the negotiations for the Can-

ton-Kowloon railway final agreement it may be useful

to refer to the stipulations contained in the cor-

respondence between my predecessor and the Tsungli

Yamen of 21st August to 14th September, 1898, (given

at pp. 287-289 of China No.1, 1899) by which the

Chinese Government undertook to give to British

Capitalists for the Canton-Kowloon,Soochow-Hangchow,

and P'uk'ou-Sinyang lines terme not inferior to

those of the Luhan Railway concession.

(Signed)

I have,&c.,

Ernest Satow,

those

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