73
chiefly to the political (the negotiation of the joint working agreement and the complications which may arise with
but our the Fankow Line in case of protracted delay)
and coincide with the views conclusions are the same, expressed by Your Excellency to myself in conversation.
^
Mr. Grove has also called on me (on 1st August 1908) since this despatch was written, and I spoke to him regarding the working agreement. He referred again to the letter which he had received from Peking authorising him to settle any questions which demanded adjustment with this Government and
submit his proposals for approval. Acting on this letter
of which he informed me some months ago, the Chief Resident Engineer of the British section under my authority has communicated already on such matters as the point of junction of the two lines, the proportionate cost of the bridge at this
point,
the type of rolling stock &c. The larger question of workshops was also raised but led to no satisfactory conclusion.
I pointed out to Mr. Grove that questions of this class stood in a different category from the larger questions (appointment and construction of a Board of Management, basis of profit-sharing &c.) which must be decided by the two Governments concerned. He then suggested to me that these matters also
should be discussed between himself and the Chief Resident
Engineer of the British section (which amounts to a discussion
between himself and this Government) and that when a basis of
agreement had been reached which he felt that he could
recommend to the Chinese Government, he should submit it in
the same way as minor questions. In point of fact this suggestion amounts to a proposal that this Government shall negotiate
with an unauthorised agent, who feeling that he represents the Chinese interests will naturally put forward those interests
and the agreement arrived at would be taken by the Chinese
Government as the full demands of the Hongkong Government to
be
73
chiefly to the political (the negotiation of the joint working agreement and the complications which may arise with
but our the Fankow Line in case of protracted delay)
and coincide with the views conclusions are the same, expressed by Your Excellency to myself in conversation.
^
Mr.Grove has also called on me (on 1st August 1908) gince this despatch, was written, and I spoke to him regarding the working agreement. He referred again to the letter which he had received from Peking authorising him to settle any questions which demanded adjustment with this Government and
submit his proposals for approval. Acting on this letter
of which he informed me some months ago, the Chief Resident Fngineer of the British section under my authority has communicated already on such matters as the point of junction of the two lines, the proportionate cost of the bridge at this
point,
the type of rolling stock &c. The larger question of workshops vs also raised but led to no satisfactory conclusion.
I pointed out to Mr.Grove that questions of this class stood in a different category from the larger questions (appointment and construction of a Board of Management, basis of profit-
sharing &c.) which must be decided by the two Governmente concerned. He then suggested to me that these matters also
should be discussed between himself and the Chief Resident
Engineer of the British section (which amounts to a discussion
between himself and this Government) and that when a basis of
agreement had been reached which he felt that he could
recommend to the Chinese Government, he should submit it in
the same way as minor questions. In point of fact this sugges- tion amounts to a proposal that this Government shall negotiate
with an unauthorised agent, who feeling that he represents the Chinese interests will naturally put forward those interests
and the agreement arrived at would be taken by the Chinese
Government as the full demands of the Hongkong Government to
be
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