to "eat the bitterness of Yunnan" for less than 1,000 taels a-month, and such a salary the "Company" is neither able nor disposed to pay.
In this quandary they have evolved the idea of starting a "Railway College." A Yünnanese licentiate, one Yen Tao-yi, has come forward, who went through a course of railway engineering in Japan. He, I understand, is to be set to work to train a body of students that, it is hoped, will in the course of another twelve months be at all events equal to the task of throwing dust into the eyes of the British and French Governments.
An examination was held on the 11th and 12th instant for 100 cadetships at the projected Railway School. Promises of liberal appointments being held out in the Notification, 167 candidates presented themselves on the first day, 18 of whom failed to appear on the second. The examination was conducted by the officials, whose names appear in the Notification, with, in addition, the two notorious anti-foreign literati, Ch'en Jung-ch'ang and Ch'en Tu. I have not yet heard how many of the candidates are considered to have passed the examination.
The subjects were Chinese composition (an essay of 300 characters), dictation, and the first four rules of arithmetic. Candidates were to be all natives of Yunnan Province, and were to be guaranteed by a member of the newly-instituted Chamber of Commerce, or by a shareholder in the Company. They were to be from 18 to 30 years of age, in good health, and with no vices, that is to say, they were not to be opium smokers.
The course is to consist of four terms of three months each. The first term, which is to commence in March next, will be devoted to arithmetic and general subjects; the last three are to be given to "special studies." No fees will be charged, but students must provide their own books. If dismissed for misconduct, or if at the close of the course they do not take service under the Company, their sureties will be called upon for twice the cost of their training.
Meanwhile, M. Labadie, Chief of the Tenth Section of the French Railway, has increased the number of his pupils from five to fifteen. These are, I should imagine, the only students who are likely to get even a smattering of the principles of railway construction. As I have said, I regard the "Company's" scheme as a mere trompe-l'œil.
India has demanded, or at any rate a year ago did demand, the concession of a light railway to Tengyuch. France is known to desire an extension of the Laokai-Yunnan-fu Railway into Szechuan. Both projects must, in the view of Hsi-liang, Ch'en Jung-ch'ang, and the rest of the small but noisy and influential gang of xenophobes, be blocked. The latest move is the "Railway College." Should the Wai-wu Pu be moved to express doubts as to the sincerity of the desire of the Yunnan Government to construct these "Yünnan-Szechuan" and "Tengyuch Railways," or as to the existence of sufficient local engineering skill, the "Railway College" will be adduced. The Ministers for Great Britain and France will be solemnly assured that "all Yünnan" is unanimous in its desire to build its own railways, that engineers have been trained, and that funds are abundant. The whole statement will be a tissue of falsehoods, but if it causes the Governments of India and Indo-China to relax their demands, the object of the reactionaries will have been obtained.
No railways will be built other than the French line to Yunnan-fu, trade with Burmah will atrophy, but Yunnan will remain under the heel of men like Hsi-liang, Liu Ch'un-lin, and Ch'en Jung-ch'ang, I say.
Whether this is to the interest of the Government of India, it is not for me to say.
The people of Yunnan, traders and farmers, are a docile friendly folk, ready, indeed eager, for extended commercial relations with Burmah. The notion that spontaneous opposition would be offered by the country folk to a British railway from Burmah to Yunnan-fu is almost ludicrous; any show of hostility would be factitious, due to secret incitement by the reactionaries. I have the strongest doubts as to the genuineness of the opposition in Chekiang (where I served three years as Consul, from 1900 to 1903) to the projected British railway from Hangchow to Ningpo; but even if there be some real, though misguided, "patriotic" feeling at work in Chekiang, I am quite certain that nothing of the sort prevails in Yunnan, particularly in Western Yünnan. On the contrary, I am convinced that the traders of Tengyueh, who constantly visit Bhamo, and even Mandalay, would welcome a British railroad.
I have, &c.
(Signed) W. H. WILKINSON.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL,
[10450]
14
20 APR 08
[March 27.]
SECTION 2,
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received March 27.)
(No. 114.) Sir,
Peking, March 4, 1908. IN continuation of my despatch No. 85 of the 18th February on the subject of the Chekiang Railway negotiations, I have the honour to report that Mr. Bland's revised draft of the Agreement, providing for the construction of a line from Shanghae to Hangchow and Ningpo instead of from Soochow, has now been accepted by the Chinese negotiators. At an interview with his Excellency Yuan Shih K'ai on the 25th February, I was informed that the document was in the hands of the Ministers of the Wai-wu Pu and Board of Communications, and that Prince Ch'ing had given instructions for the drafting of a Memorial to the Throne. I was given to understand that no further hitch could arise, and that the Decree might be expected in about a week.
On my next visit to the Board on the 3rd March I again inquired as to the position of affairs, and was told by the Grand Secretary Na that no difficulty had supervened, and that the Memorial was to be presented on the 6th March. If the Decree approving the Agreement was issued in good time, there was no reason why the documents should not be signed on the same day.
I may add that Mr. Bland considers the terms fully as advantageous as those of the Tien-tsin-Yangtsze Railway Agreement.
[2880 dd-2]
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. N. JORDAN,
2
to "eat the bitterness of Yunnan" for less than 1,000 taels a-month, and such a salary the "Company" is neither able nor disposed to pay.
In this quandary they have evolved the idea of starting a "Railway College." A Yünnanese licentiate, one Yen Tao-yi, has come forward, who went through a course of railway engineering in Japan. He, I understand, is to be set to work to train a body of students that, it is hoped, will in the course of another twelve months be at all events equal to the task of throwing dust into the eyes of the British and French Governments.
An examination was held on the 11th and 12th instant for 100 cadetships at the projected Railway School. Promises of liberal appointments being held out in the Notification, 167 candidates presented themselves on the first day, 18 of whom failed to appear on the second. The examination was conducted by the officials, whose names appear in the Notification, with, in addition, the two notorious anti-foreign literati, Ch'en Jung-ch'ang and Ch'en Tu I have not yet heard how many of the candidates are considered to have passed the examination.
The subjects were Chinese composition (an essay of 300 characters) dictation, and the first four rules of arithmetic. Candidates were to be all natives of Yunnan Province, and were to be guaranteed by a member of the newly-instituted Chamber of Commerce, or by a shareholder in the Company. They were to be from 18 to 30 years of age, in good health, and with no vices, that is to say, they were not to be opium smokers.
The course is to consist of four terms of three months each. The first term, which is to commence in March next, will be devoted to arithmetic and general subjects; the last three are to be given to "special studies." No fees will be charged, but students must provide their own books. If dismissed for misconduct, or if at the close of the course they do not take service under the Company, their sureties will he called upon for twice the cost of their training.
Meanwhile, M. Labadie, Chief of the Tenth Section of the French Railway, has increased the number of his pupils from five to fifteen. These are, I should imagine, the only students who are likely to get even a smattering of the principles of railway construction. As I have said, I regard the "Company's scheme as a mere trompe-
l'œil. India has demanded, or at any rate a year ago did demand, the concession of a light railway to Tengyuch. France is known to desire an extension of the Laokai- Yunnan-fu Railway into Szechuan. Both projects must, in the view of 11si-liang, Ch'en Jung-ch'ang, and the rest of the small but noisy and influential gang of xenophobes, be blocked. The latest move is the "Railway College." Should the Wai-wu Pu be moved to express doubts as to the sincerity of the desire of the Yunnan Government to construct these "Yünnan-Szechuan" and " Tengyuch Railways,
or as to the existence of sufficient local engineering skill, the "Railway College" will be adduced. The Ministers for Great Britain and France will be solemnly assured that "all Yünnan" is unanimous in its desire to build its own railways, that engineers have been trained, and that funds are abundant. The whole statement will be a tissue of falsehoods, but if it causes the Governments of India and Indo-China to relax their demands, the object of the reactionaries will have been obtained. built other than the French line to Yunnan-fu, trade with Burmah will atrophy, but No railways will be Yunnan will remain under the heel of men like Hsi-liang, Liu Ch'un-lin, and Ch'en Jung-ch'ang,
say.
Whether this is to the interest of the Government of India, it is not for me to The people of Yunnan, traders and farmers, are a docile friendly folk, ready, indeed cager, for extended commercial relations with Burmah. The notion that spontaneous opposition would be offered by the country folk to a British railway from Burmah to Yunnan-fu is almost ludicrous; any show of hostility would be factitious, due to secret incitement by the reactionaries. I have the strongest doubts as to the genuineness of the opposition in Chekiang (where I served three years as Consul, from 1900 to 1903) to the projected British railway from Hangchow to Ningpo; but even if there be some real, though misguided, Chekiang, I am quite certain that nothing of the sort prevails in Yunnan, particularly "patriotic" feeling at work in in Western Yünnan. On the contrary, I am convinced that the traders of Tengyueh, who constantly visit Bhamo, and even Mandalay, would welcome a British railroad.
+4
I have, &c.
(Signed) W. H. WILKINSON.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL,
[10450]
14
20 APR 08
[March 27.]
SECTION 2,
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received March 27.)}
(No. 114.) Sir,
Peking, March 4, 1908. IN continuation of my despatch No. 85 of the 18th February on the subject of the Chekiang Railway negotiations, I have the honour to report that Mr. Bland's revised draft of the Agreement, providing for the construction of a line from Shanghae to Hangchow and Ningpo instead of from Soochow, has now been accepted by the Chinese negotiators. At an interview with his Excellency Yuan Shih K'ai on the 25th February, I was informed that the document was in the hands of the Ministers of the Wai-wu Pu and Board of Communications, and that Prince Ch'ing had given instruc- tions for the drafting of a Memorial to the Throne. I was given to understand that no further hitch could arise, and that the Decree might be expected in about a week.
On my next visit to the Board on the 3rd March I again inquired as to the position of affairs, and was told by the Grand Secretary Na that no difficulty had supervened, and that the Memorial was to be presented on the 6th March. If the Decree approving the Agreement was issued in good time, there was no reason why the documents should not be signed on the same day.
I
may add that Mr. Bland considers the terms fully as advantageous as those of the Tien-tsin-Yangtsze Railway Agreement.
[2880 dd-2]
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. N. JORDAN,
吊
f
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