This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government] 0.
24461
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[20524]
No. 1.
[June 15.]
7 JUL 08
SECTION 4,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received June 15.)
(No. 180.) Sir,
Peking, April 27, 1908. WITH reference to your despatch No. 183 of the 4th instant, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith a Memorandum on the Kungyik Sunning Samkahoi Railway, which has been drawn up by the Acting Commercial Attaché.
The Viceroy spoke to me of this line during my recent visit to Canton as an example of what progressive Chinese could do on their own initiative in the way of railway construction. The inhabitants of the district had, he said, nearly all been to Singapore or the United States, and English was the language of these returned emigrants, who had constructed good roads, drove foreign carriages, and used American gold dollars as their currency.
His Excellency's idea seemed to be to create a deep-water port somewhere in the neighbourhood of Kuang Hai as an outlet for the railway, but not having visited the locality he was unable to speak with personal knowledge of the question.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum by Mr. Hosie on the Kungyik-Sunning-Samkahoi Railway in the Kwangtung or Canton Province.
A CHINESE Company was formed in 1905 for the construction of this railway from a place called Kungyik on the right bank of a tributary of the West River, and on the mainland to the west of Macao southwards to the sea. The Commissioner of Customs at Kongmoon, in his 1906 Trade Report for that port, says :--
"The Sunning Railway, referred to in the last Report, made great progress during 1906. The line from Kungyik, on the Sunchong Creek, running southwards to Sunning, was nearly completed by the end of the year; that is to say, rails had been laid for the greater part of the way. This section of the line is about 25 miles long. Good progress has been made with a continuation of the railway from Sunning southwards to a place on the coast called Samkahoi, some 30 miles from Sunning. It is reported that the Kungyik-Sunning section will be ready for opening in the summer of 1907. The line to Samkahoi will not be completed for some time, probably not until 1908. The main line from Suuning to Yeungkong--the railway is known as the Sunning-Yeungkong Company--has not yet been commenced. Originally the section now under construction from Sunning to Samkahoi was to have had its terminus at Kwanghoi; but Samkahoi, a place 3 miles to the east of Kwanghoi, was eventually decided on, as the approach to Kwanghoi is shallow and only small junks can discharge cargo there. It is expected that Samkahoi, with a little dredging, will prove a satisfactory harbour. Later, it is proposed to connect Kungyik with Fatshan and Canton. The Sunning Railway is interesting, as it is being built entirely by native workmen under native engineers. The rails already laid have been bought in Germany and Belgium; two of the locomotives are of German make. Many of the construction tools have been procured from the United States, and it is stated that rails and bridge
[1819 p-4]
32
36
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government] 0.
24461
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[20524]
No. 1.
[June 15.]
7 JUL 08
SECTION 4,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received June 15.)
(No. 180.) Sir,
Peking, April 27, 1908. WITH reference to your despatch No. 183 of the 4th instant, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith a Memorandum on the Kungyik Sunning Samkahoi Railway, which has been drawn up by the Acting Commercial Attaché.
The Viceroy spoke to me of this line during my recent visit to Canton as an example of what progressive Chinese could do on their own initiative in the way of railway construction. The inhabitants of the district had, he said, nearly all been to Singapore or the United States, and English was the language of these returned emigrants, who had constructed good roads, drove foreign carriages, and used American gold dollars as their currency.
His Excellency's idea seemed to be to create a deep-water port somewhere in the neighbourhood of Kuang Hai as an outlet for the railway, but not having visited the locality he was unable to speak with personal knowledge of the question.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
}
Inclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum by Mr. Hosie on the Kungyik-Sunning-Samkahoi Railway in the Kwangtung or Canton Province.
A CHINESE Company was formed in 1905 for the construction of this railway from a place called Kungyik on the right bank of a tributary of the West River, and on the mainland to the west of Macao southwards to the sea. The Commissioner of Customs at Kongmoon, in his 1906 Trade Report for that port, says :--
"The Sunning Railway, referred to in the last Report, made great progress during 1906. The line from Kungyik, on the Sunchong Creek, running southwards to Sunning, was nearly completed by the end of the year; that is to say, rails had been laid for the greater part of the way. This section of the line is about 25 miles long. Good progress has been made with a continuation of the railway from Sunning south- wards to a place on the coast called Samkahoi, some 30 miles from Sunning. It is reported that the Kungyik-Sunning section will be ready for opening in the summer of 1907. The line to Samkahoi will not be completed for some time, probably not until 1908. The main line from Suuning to Yeungkong--the railway is known as the Sunning-Yeungkong Company--has not yet been commenced. Originally the section now under construction from Sunning to Samkahoi was to have had its terminus at Kwanghoi; but Samkahoi, a place 3 miles to the east of Kwanghoi, was eventually decided on, as the approach to Kwanghoi is shallow and only small junks can discharge cargo there. It is expected that Samkaloi, with a little dredging, will prove a satisfactory harbour. Later, it is proposed to connect Kungyik with Fatshan and Canton. The Sunning Railway is interesting, as it is being built entirely by native workmen under native engineers. The rails already laid have been bought in Germany and Belgium; two of the locomotives are of German make. Many of the construction tools have been procured from the United States, and it is stated that rails and bridge
[1819 p-4]
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