CO129-348 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [7-10] — Page 428

(Copy)

No.40.

Confidential.

sir,

424

Canton,

9th.September, 1908.

09

flon et bet

IS 172

Kron

non that

Dit so mitr as Lov

ofa ver

PWR-TIRNG to ebol tar

dkoder Not

Ja Athula for #zob

In continuation of my despatch No.31, Confi-

dential, of July 25th. last on the affairs of the Chinese

section of the Canton-Kowloon Railway, I have the honour to

report that Mr. Grove, the Engineer-in-Chief, has now com-

pleted his estimate of the total cost of the line from

Canton to the British frontier.

Mr. Grove is unable to furnish me with a

copy of this estimate for your perusal but suggests that

the British and Chinese Corporation, to whom the statement

has been forwarded, will doubtless send you a copy if

requested to do so.

Mr. Grove has with much difficulty, and at

a sacrifice of efficiency to economy in certain matters,

succeeded in keeping his estimate within the allotted sur

£1,500,000 leaving, however, no margin for unforseen

expenditure. For this, as stated in my previous report, the

unexpectedly heavy expenditure which is being incurred in

the purchase of land is chiefly responsible. Mr.Grove

informs me that the purchase of land is now proceeding more

satisfactorily and he hopes by next spring to have secured

all the land he requires. Considerable opposition to the

Railway is being shown in the San Chun District, adjoining

the British frontier, where the inhabitants of one village

have, after an acrimonious dispute with the Railway's land

officers, succeeded in inducing the Director General in

Peking to sanction a serious deviation in the line.

Sir J. N. Jordan,K.C.M.G.,

&C

&C.,

&C - + Peking.

Mr.