03
119
ad bloc
negotiations must follow the lines of the Shanghai Nanking
agreement. After repeated discussions he eventually agreed
to consider arrangements based on those of the Northern
Railway Loan, and to discuss other clauses (than those in his
proposed draft).
our
M
Now, in several railway agreements, the provision
most damaging to our interests is that which admits of profit-
certificates. Therefore, my first step was to get this clause
struck out.
As regards what Your Fxcellency says in your telegram
to the effect that: "as we have let the British capitalists
"construct this line, and have agreed that no other line can
"be built to compete with it and damage its interests, all the
"future railway development of the whole Province is placed
"under their control, and there is no line which we can under-
"take ourselves, while X other Provinces will also suffer
"from the effects of this provision, which is more far-reaching
#even than the previous demand respecting a parallel line"; I
beg to observe that the present Agreement arranges for a loan
of money to be made by the British capitalists, but the State
constructs the line itself. It is not the British capitalists
who are going to construct it. Therefore, as it is a State
line, there is naturally no possible justification for pro-
Geeding to build another line in the same direction and to
thus enter into competition with oneself. Further, the ques-
tion of "competition" applies only to this particular Canton-
Kowloon line and in no way affects the railway development
of the whole Province; still less can other Provinces suffer
from this understanding.
Page 120Page 121
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.