C. O.
644
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
3.7616.
4
will be established, annexed to the above nursery garden, where young natives will be taught and equipped with general knowledge bearing upon practical agriculture and forestry, and the development thus furthered of agriculture and afforestation within the Kwantung Province.
The principal object of afforestation in the vicinity of Dairen and Port Arthur is the improvement of the scenery, and in spots like Peiyushan (Hakugyokuzan, Monument Hill), in Port Arthur, one of the parks of Manchuria, it is intended to plant beautiful flowers, and thus in the future, when some years have passed, the top of Peiyushan will be covered with flowers.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL,
[32667]
15.001 08 [September 21.]
SECTION 2,
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received September 21.)
(No. 352.) Sir,
Peking, August 1, 1908. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith a summary of the events of the past two months, not recorded in separate despatches, which has been prepared by Mr. Seeds, Third Secretary in His Majesty's Legation.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Monthly Summary for June and July, 1908.
Railways.
Tien-tsin-Pukow.-The ceremony of cutting the first sod on the northern portion of the line was performed at Tien-tsin on the 30th June, in the presence of the Viceroy and the Director-General.
Reports from Nanking state that work is to be begun on the southern section as soon as possible. The Engineer-in-chief, Mr. Tuckey, is on the spot, and, of the sixteen foreign engineers arriving shortly, the majority are British subjects.
It is said that the Chinese contemplate declaring Pukow a "self-opened port," an undesirable measure in view of the difficulties that have arisen under similar conditions at Nanning (see Sir J. Jordan's despatch No. 211 of the 12th May).
Shanghae-Nanking. The railway authorities have been having some trouble lately in connection with compensation claims for injuries and loss of life. The relatives of a youth who was run over and killed near Lungtan hit upon the ingenious plan of prostrating themselves on the rails in front of the offending train. They remained there for some six hours, until, three trains having been held up, they were eventually removed with the help of a detachment of soldiers. Life in China is cheap, and the compensation finally granted in this case amounted only to £57; but the scheme seems to have recommended itself to the peasantry, and a similar case has occurred quite recently. The Railway Company cannot do more than warn the people of the danger of crossing the line, and it will be a serious matter if the running of trains is to be liable to such interference at any moment.
Hankow-Chengtu.-Surveys are being carried on, in connection with this proposed line, by Chinese and Japanese engineers. Funds are insufficient, and it is not probable that much construction work will be done for some time to come.
Canton-Hankow.-Sir Chen Tung Liang Cheng, the President of the line, is reported to be sending in his resignation. The question at issue would appear to be his salary, which was strongly protested against as excessive at a meeting of shareholders some months ago. It is now hinted that his resignation is due to his taking a directly contrary view of the matter.
Work on the line generally is hampered by the jealousies existing between the official and unofficial classes, and also by the lack of cohesion arising from provincial control of the various sections of the railway. In Hunan the gentry are confident that they can raise the necessary funds, a fact which is frankly denied by the Governor. In the opinion of His Majesty's Consul at Changsha, the decision of railway matters in Hunan is in the hands of the gentry, who, however, need to be stimulated by their feelings of rivalry with the adjoining provinces. This probably applies to all the provinces concerned, and it is to be hoped, in the interests of construction work, that the recent appointment of Chang Chih-tung as Administrator-General, reported in Sir J. Jordan's despatch No. 333 of the 21st ultimo, may lead to more united action on the part of the various authorities concerned.
[1933 ---2]
1
C. O.
644
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Goyer 3.7616.
4
will be established, annexed to the above nursery garden, where young natives will be taught and equipped with general knowledge bearing upon practical agriculture and forestry, and the development thus furthered of agriculture and afforestation within the Kwantung Province.
The principal object of afforestation in the vicinity of Dairen and Port Arthur is the improvement of the scenery, and in spots like Peiyushan (Hakugyokuzan, Monument Hill), in Port Arthur, one of the parks of Manchuria, it is intended to plant beautiful flowers, and thus in the future, when some years have passed, the top of Peiyushan will be covered with flowers.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL,
[32667]
15. 001 08 [September 21.]·
SECTION 2,
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received September 21.)
(No. 352.) Sir,
Peking, August 1, 1908. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith a summary of the events of the past two months, not recorded in separate despatches, which has been prepared by Mr. Seeds, Third Secretary in His Majesty's Legation.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. N. JORDAN.
ย
Inclosure in No. 1.
Monthly Summary for June and July, 1908.
Railways.
Tien-tsin-Pukow.-The ceremony of cutting the first sod on the northern portion of the line was performed at Tien-tsin on the 30th June, in the presence of the Viceroy and the Director-General.
Reports from Nanking state that work is to be begun on the southern section as soon as possible. The Engineer-in-chief, Mr. Tuckey, is on the spot, and, of the sixteen foreign engineers arriving shortly, the majority are British subjects.
It is said that the Chinese contemplate declaring Pukow a "self-opened port," an undesirable measure in view of the difficulties that have arisen under similar conditions at Nanning (see Sir J. Jordan's despatch No. 211 of the 12th May).
Shanghae-Nanking. The railway authorities have been having some trouble lately in connection with compensation claims for injuries and loss of life. The relatives of a youth who was run over and killed near Lungtan hit upon the ingenious plan of prostrating themselves on the rails in front of the offending train. They remained there for some six hours, until, three trains having been held up, they were eventually removed with the help of a detachment of soldiers. Life in China is cheap, and the compensation finally granted in this case amounted only to 57.; but the scheme seems to have recommended itself to the peasantry, and a similar case has occurred quite recently. The Railway Company cannot do more than warn the people of the danger of crossing the line, and it will be a serious matter if the running of trains is to be liable to such interference at any moment.
Hankow-Chengtu.-Surveys are being carried on, in connection with this proposed line, by Chinese and Japanesë engineers. Funds are insufficient, and it is not probable that much construction work will be done for some time to come.
Canton-Hankow.-Sir Chen Tung Liang Cheng, the President of the line, is reported to be sending in his resignation. The question at issue would appear to be his salary, which was strongly protested against as excessive at a meeting of shareholders some months ago. It is now hinted that his resignation is due to his taking a directly contrary view of the matter.
Work on the line generally is hampered by the jealousies existing between the official and unofficial classes, and also by the lack of cohesion arising from provincia! control of the various sections of the railway. In Hunan the gentry are confident that they can raise the necessary funds, a fact which is frankly denied by the Governor. In the opinion of His Majesty's Consul at Changsha, the decision of railway matters in Hunan is in the hands of the gentry, who, however, need to be stimulated by their feelings of rivalry with the adjoining provinces. This probably applies to all the provinces concerned, and it is to be hoped, in the interests of construction work, that the recent appointment of Chang Chili Tung as Administrator-General, reported in Sir J. Jordan's despatch No. 333 of the 21st ultimo, may lead to more united action on the part of the various authorities concerned.
[1933 ---2]
1
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