[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government]
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
[June 20.]
SECTION 2.
(No. 238.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received June 20.)
Peking, May 26, 1908.
WITH reference to my telegram No. 84 of the 21st ultimo regarding the question of a consulting engineer for the Canton-Kowloon Railway, I have the honour to report that I discussed this matter at length with Mr. Liang Shih Yi, the Chief Director of Railways in the Board of Communications, and that he adhered to the decision not to retain any firm permanently in this capacity. He agreed, however, to talk over the question again with Mr. Bland with a view to reconciling their divergencies of opinion, and I understood from the latter subsequently that there was some prospect of Messrs. Sir J. Wolfe Barry and A. J. Barry being retained at £800l. a-year.
Correspondence has now passed between Mr. Grove, the Engineer-in-chief, and the Chinese Director, which should expedite a settlement of this dispute. On the 6th instant Mr. Wei Han informed Mr. Grove that the Board of Communications desired Mr. Jeme Tien Yu to be considered as the consulting engineer, and that the large bridge for the East River should be ordered from the Tongshan works. Mr. Grove replied on the 11th instant by suggesting that his designs for steel work should be prepared on the usual commission in England, and that the order should be tendered for by British firms as well as by the Tongshan works.
This suggestion, which conforms with the stipulations of the Loan Agreement (Article 9) respecting competition between Chinese and imported materials, was approved by Mr. Wei Han, the Managing Director, and by the British and Chinese Corporation, who, it appears, had already instructed Messrs. Barry to prepare bridge designs, and who have now directed Mr. Bland to impress upon the Board of Communications the impracticable nature of their instructions to Mr. Grove. The results of Mr. Bland's discussion with Mr. Liang Shih Yi have not yet been communicated to me.
As regards the suggestion contained in the correspondence inclosed in your despatch No. 157 of the 25th March last that Mr. Jeme should be appointed consulting engineer in association with Messrs. Barry, it would, in my opinion, do more harm than good to intervene further before Mr. Bland has tried conclusions once more with Mr. Liang Shih Yi.
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
}
C.0.
-24461
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government]
32
-7 JUL 08
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[21178]
No. 1.
[June 20.]
SECTION 2.
(No. 238.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received June 20.)
Peking, May 26, 1908. WITH reference to my telegram No. 84 of the 21st ultimo regarding the question of a consulting engineer for the Canton-Kowloon Railway, I have the honour to report that I discussed this matter at length with Mr. Liang Shih Yi, the Chief Director of Railways in the Board of Communications, and that he adhered to the decision not to retain any firm permanently in this capacity. He agreed, however, to talk over the question again with Mr. Bland with a view to reconciling their divergencies of opinion, and I understood from the latter subsequently that there was some prospect of Messrs. Sir J. Wolfe Barry and A. J. Barry being retained at 8001. a-year.
Correspondence has now passed between Mr. Grove, the Engineer-in-chief, and the Chinese Director, which should expedite a settlement of this dispute. On the 6th instant Mr. Wei Han informed Mr. Grove that the Board of Communications desired Mr. Jeme Tien Yu to be considered as the consulting engineer, and that the large bridge for the East River should be ordered from the Tongshan works. Mr. Grove replied on the 11th instant by suggesting that his designs for steel work should be prepared on the usual commission in England, and that the order should be tendered for by British firms as well as by the Tongshan works.
This suggestion, which conforms with the stipulations of the Loan Agreement (Article 9) respecting competition between Chinese and imported materials, was approved by Mr. Wei Han, the Managing Director, and by the British and Chinese Corporation, who, it appears, had already instructed Messrs. Barry to prepare bridge designs, and who have now directed Mr. Bland to impress upon the Board of Communications the impracticable nature of their instructions to Mr. Grove. The results of Mr. Bland's discussion with Mr. Liang Shih Yi have not yet been communicated to me.
As regards the suggestion contained in the correspondence inclosed in your despatch No. 157 of the 25th March last that Mr. Jeme should be appointed consulting engineer in association with Messrs. Barry, it would, in my opinion, do more harm than good to intervene further before Mr. Bland has tried conclusions once more with Mr. Liang Shih Yi.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
[1814 -2
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