CO129-351 - Public Offices - 1908 — Page 786

given the preference if their terms were equally

favourable.

773

His Excellency told me he understood that Chang

had really felt his way blocked by the Belgian inter-

vention, and had thought of deferring the loan for the

Hankow-Canton line and concluding one for the Hankow-

Ichang railway instead. It was, he said, very desirable

that the southern trunk line should be completed quickly,

but he did not see how Chang could make any further

move except at the instance of the Nankow Viceroy. No

doubt if the latter applied for a loan, Chang would sup-

port him. His Excellency promised to try and see

Chang, but appeared to favour direct representations

by Mr. Bland to the Viceroy.

I objected that on previous occasions Messrs. Bland

and Hillier had spent a long time at Hankow in negotia-

tions which were made fruitless by the Central Govern-

ment, and insisted that something definite must be

settled at Peking before this course was repeated.

There was no doubt that the railway was wanted and that

some progress had been made by the appointments of

Messrs.