CO129-347 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [4-6] — Page 293

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Peking on the one hand and the Secretary of State on the

other. At one stage the Admiral Commanding-in-Chief refer-

-red to me for my views. As no correspondence had been

communicated to me from the Colonial Office on the matter,

I was dependent upon such Foreign Office Prints as might

be in my possession, and these proved to be fragmentary

and of old date. Had it not been for the courtesy of

Admiral Sir Arthur Moore who had a careful précis of the

whole made for me, I should have been unable to deal with

the important issue placed before me by the Commander-in-

-Chief with any proper understanding of the antecedent

circumstances, and the views expressed by His Majesty's

Government.

2.

At the present time I have been

anxious to examine the position as regards the Canton-

-Hankow Railway - a matter in which this Colony is vitally

interested, and on behalf of which it has made a Loan of

over a million sterling to the Governor-General of Hukuang

Provinces. I venture respectfully to submit de to Your

Lordship that in such a matter the earliest opportunity

should be taken of transmitting all important correspond-

-once for my information, and of keeping this Government

informed of all steps taken. The only information I have

regarding