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Tang River. From thence the route runs in a northerly to the east of Hangchow city, skirting the canal known as the Great East Canal, or Moat, by the cast wall, and running in close proximity past the three East Gates of the city and on to the Settlement, beyond which there were no signs of work being carried on, the total distance being approximately about 7 miles.
The route of the railway is roughly indicated on the attached plan.*
The writer has been promised a copy of the Chinese survey, but so far this has not come to band.
Earthworks for a single-line railway has been practically completed for this distance, the embankment in places being carried, in the writer's opinion, dangerously near the edge of the canal.
Very little bridgework has been commenced.
A start had, however, been made in driving some piles to form a cofferdam for bridge foundations over a large canal near the south-east corner of the city.
Considerable stacks of stone, presumably for use as ballast, were being dumped in the paddy fields on the banks on the canals without method or regard for future facilities for distributing or placing the ballast on the embankment.
Ningpo sand in large quantities was also scattered about in heaps, many of which were being washed away by the rains, and damaged in other ways.
Two tank locomotives, of about 70 tons weight, of British manufacture, had been delivered on the canal bank, where they were lying in pieces exposed to the weather, without any apparent means or facilities for erection.
A delivery had been made on the banks of the canal of a stack of rails of about 80 lb. weight, which the writer has since been informed were purchased from the Hanyang Iron Works at a price of 45 taels por ton, c.f.i., Shanghae. These rails constitute the greater portion of a stack of material made some years ago for the Peihan Railway, by whom they were rejected. The writer saw these rails at the Hanyang Iron Works last year, and considered that they were only fit for the scrap- heap, and therefore unfit for laying even in sidings, much less in a main line of railway.
The writer was recently informed by the Director of the Hanyang Iron Works that the Chekiang Company have placed a large order for rails with the Hanyang Iron Works for delivery spread over twelve months, commencing from July next, at a price based on European quotations, plus freight to China.
A further contract has been made by this Company for the supply of Japanese sleepers, according to information supplied, at 6 mace each, c f.i., Shanghae.
The work was being carried out apparently under purely Chinese supervision; an engineering student who was for about eighteen months employed as an overseer on construction work on the Shanghae-Nanking Railway was nominally in charge at Haugchow.
The route of the railway, inasmuch as it follows the eastern wall of the city, is, in the writer's opinion, the best that could have been chosen.
The line referred to in the Preliminary Agreement entered into on the 13th May, 1898, between his Excellency Sheng, Director-General of the Imperial Chinese Railway Administration, acting under the authority of the Tsung-li Yamen, of the one part, and a British Syndicate of the other part, subsequently laid down in the preliminary survey, dated 1899, passes Hangchow on the west side. Although this route is shorter, it traverses through hilly country, which would entail heavy work practically for whole distance through the graveyards of Hangchow.
The route on the east side of the city could be more economically constructed, while at the same time it would afford better access to the commercial and busy parts of Hangchow.
From Hangchow to Kashing the line being constructed by the Chokiang Company will follow to all intents and purposes the line laid down on the survey by the British Syndicate referred to above.
The prospects of traffic on this railway are very promising, as evidenced by the almost continuous stream of coolies carrying produce from the bank of the Tsien Tang River into the city to the Settlement, where the cargo is again shipped to the interior. there being no direct communication by water with the river, this being rendered impossible at Hangchow owing to the rise caused by the Bore, the water level of the river being frequently many feet above that of the surrounding country, the river course being maintained by the celebrated double sea wall, the failure of which would flood the whole surrounding country.
* Not printed.
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Projected Railway from Soochow to Kashing.
According to the information the writer has been able to obtain, no active construction work has been commenced on the projected Chinese line from Soochow to Kashing, although some attempt to survey the line has been made.
The proposed route of this line practically follows as far as Kashing the line laid down in the preliminary survey of the Soochow-Hangchow-Ningpo Railway, and advantage has been taken of acquiring land on the line actually staked out by the Shanghae-Nanking Railway along the west wall of Soochow city, this line having been surveyed in connection with the proposed junction of the latter railway with the Shanghae Nanking Railway at Soochów,
It is currently reported that a station site has been acquired near the Chong Mun, and that active construction work will shortly be commenced.
Projected Railway from Shanghae to Kashing.
This railway commences near the big South Gate of Shanghae native city near the city garrison, and ends to the west of Feng Chin Chen at the Chekiang provincial boundary-line, where the Chekiang Railway propose to join on their line from Hangchow to Kashing.
The route of the railway as surveyed, together with some modifications which have since been made, are shown on the accompanying tracing.*
Considerable progress has been made at the Shanghae end on the earthworks and in the acquisition of land, so it is reported. The writer has seen a portion of the earthworks, and is informed that this work is proceeding throughout the railway.
So far nothing practically has been done towards bridge building, but it is reported that some steel caissons are in progress of construction for putting in foundations in a great depth of water, and that a second-hand air-compressing plant has been purchased.
Contracts have been made with the Hanyang Iron Works for the supply of steel rails and fastenings, and it is proposed to use Japanese sleepers.
Generally.
If these railways are allowed to be constructed, a new route will be established from Shanghae to Soochow via Kashing in direct competition with the Shanghae- Nanking Railway, thus constituting a breach of the terms of that railway's Loan Agreement (see Article 17), besides ignoring the Preliminary Agreement already referred to for the construction of the Soochow-Ilangchow-Ningpo Railway.
A. H. COLLINSON.
(Signed)
Shanghoe, May 2, 1907.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Principal Persons connected with the Chekiang Province Railway.
His Excellency Tang Shou Chuen Ilis Excellency Liu Chin Chao Suu Te Chuen
Lao Tse Chang.
Chang K'eh Ming
Managing Director.
Assistant Managing Director. Assistant Director.
Engineer-in-charge of the construction
work.
Ditto.
* Not printed.
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