CO129-345 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 283

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

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food. Those who cannot afford to provide for themselves are supported at the expense of the Court. There are servants to keep the waiting- and detention-rooms clean and sanitary.

Plaints must be prepared in due form on stamped paper sold by the Court. There are also certain writers' fees, which, though used to reward the exertions of the writers, are paid into Court. The rules are consistent and definite, and are now working smoothly.

Since the opening of the Courts, more than ten cases have been tried where the plaintiff was a foreigner. In some cases the plaint was presented through the Consul and the Customs Taotai or Magistrate, in some by the foreigner direct without such intervention. During the hearing foreigners show respect by taking off their hats. On judgment being given they have paid the Court fees, and in every way observed

the rules.

The business of separating the judicial power from the executive cannot he expected to be completed at a single stroke, but now that a beginning has been made there should be no difficulty in progressing farther.

CHINA RAILWAYS.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[20078]

No. 1.

Foreign Office to Colonial Office.

[June 20.]

SECTION 1.

Sir,

Foreign Office, June 20, 1907. WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 17th instant, I am directed by Secretary Sir Edward Grey to transmit to you a copy of a telegram which has been received from His Majesty's Minister at Peking regarding the loans required by the Viceroy of Wuchang for the Hupei sections of the Szechuan and Hankow-Canton Railways and by the Viceroy of Canton for the construction of the southern section of the Canton-Hankow Railway.

Sir E. Grey would be glad, in view of this telegram, to learn whether, in the opinion of the Earl of Elgin, there would be serious objection to some arrangement whereby the northern section of this line should be constructed with British and the southern section with French capital.

Lord Elgin is aware that the British capitalists concerned had agreed to admit a French group to participation in the loan required for the construction of the line from Hankow to Canton.

I am, &c. (Signed) F. A. CAMPBELL.

* Sir J. Jordan, No. 112 (Telegraphic), June 17, 1907.

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