317
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
C
44802
[November 17.]
SECTION 4.
KECK
Rec'd 5 OCT 1906
No. 402.)
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received November 17.)
Peking, October 4, 1906.
WITH reference to my despatch No. 382 of the 19th September I have the honour to state that in an interview yesterday the Wai-wu Pu assured me that the scheme for a railway from Canton to Amoy had not received the sanction of the Chinese Government.
I referred their Excellencies to the Viceroy's Proclamation, inclosed in my note of the 17th September to Prince Ch'ing, which distinctly stated that the Board of Commerce had sanctioned the formation of a Company to undertake this railway, and pointed out the proposed trace on the map in order to make it clear that some 40 miles of it would follow the same route as the Canton-Kowloon Railway.
Their Excellencies maintained positively that no line from Canton to Amoy had been sanctioned by the Central Government and that no such line could be commenced without such sanction. What had been approved was an old scheme for a short local line of 14 miles from Canton to Whampoa, which dated from before the signature of the preliminary Agreement.
I said that nothing was known of this old project and asked why no mention was made of it in the Canton-Kowloon preliminary Agreement. Their Excellencies made no attempt to offer an explanation, and I insisted that this was another case of a rival line being started by provincial organizations to "put a spoke in the wheel" of the Canton-Kowloon Railway.
After some further discussion their Excellencies said that a written reply would be sent to my note of the 17th September.
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. N. JORDAN,
[2228 r. -4]
317
his Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
FFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL,
C
44802
[November 17.]
SECTION 4.
KECK
Rec 5 OFC OF
No. L.
38627]
No. 402.)
air,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received November 17.)
Peking, October 4, 1906. WITH reference to my despatch No. 382 of the 19th September I have the honour to state that in an interview yesterday the Wai-wu Pu assured me that the scheme for a railway from Canton to Amoy had not received the sanction of the Chinese Government.
I referred their Excellencies to the Viceroy's Proclamation, inclosed in my note of the 17th September to Prince Ch'ing, which distinctly stated that the Bourd of Commerce had sanctioned the formation of a Company to undertake this railway, and pointed out the proposed trace on the map in order to make it clear that some 40 miles of it would follow the same route as the Canton-Kowloon Railway.
Their Excellencies maintained positively that no line from Canton to Amoy had been sanctioned by the Central Government and that no such line could be commenced without such sanction. What had been approved was an old scheme for a short local fine of 14 miles from Canton to Whampoa, which dated from before the signature of the preliminary Agreement.
I said that nothing was known of this old project and asked why no mention was made of it in the Canton-Kowloon preliminary Agreement. Their Excellencies made to attempt to offer an explanation, and I insisted that this was another case of a rival ine being started by provincial organizations to "put a spoke in the wheel" of the Canton-Kowloon Railway.
After some further discussion their Excellencies said that a written reply would be sent to my note of the 17th September.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN,
[2228 r- -4]
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