CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 242

This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

CHINA RAILWAYS.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[14578]

C.O. 15433

200

[April 19.]

RECR REGP 7 MAY 0

SECTION 1.

No. 1.

$

1

(No. 140.) Sir,

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received April 19.)

Peking, April 1, 1909. WITH reference to my despatch No. 576 of the 23rd December, 1908, I have the honour to inclose for your information, copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, reporting further on the progress of the construction work of the Kwangtung section of the Iankow-Canton Railway.

I have, &c. (Signed)

(No. 24.)

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

Acting Consul-General Fox to Sir J. Jordan.

J. N. JORDAN.

Sir,

Canton, March 10, 1909. WITH reference to my despatches Nos. 46 and 68 of the 17th September and 3rd December, 1908 respectively, I have the honour to forward for your perusal an interosting report which has been prepared by Mr. R. S. Pratt, Assistant at this Consulate-General, on the progress that is being made with the construction of the Canton-Hankow Railway.

The tracings accompanying this Report are being sent under flying seal to Captain Hart-Synott, General Staff Officer, Hong Kong, who is making a map of the line, and has asked me to furnish him with the Chinese names of the various towns and villages en route.

I venture to suggest that the Military Intelligence Department (North China Command), be requested to make copies of these tracings, and that one of each be sent to Canton for preservation in the archives of this Consulate-General.

A copy of this Report is being sent to the Governor of Hong Kong.

I have, &c.

(Signed) HARRY H, FOX.

Inclosure 2 în No. 1.

Memorandum of a further Trip on the Route of the Canton-Hankow Railway, by Mr. R. S. Pratt.

THE most striking feature of the train journey to Yuen Tam, at Mile 45, the last station opened, was the great progress that had been made with the permanent structures of bridges. The line now presents a far more solid appearance than it did before. But few temporary trestles now remain, and I am informed that in a very short time the Company will have a "clean line" through to Yuen Tam. Permanent brick stations have been erected, or are in course of erection, at all stations, and their solid appearance is in keeping with the general structure of the line. More of the line is now permanently ballasted with stone than formerly, although the cheap sand ballast is still mainly in evidence. An increase, which may or may not have been fortuitous, was observed in the number of passengers.

On my arrival at Yuen Tam, the Chinese resident engineer kindly placed an engine at my disposal to take me to the rail-head, some 2 miles beyond, and from here the journey was made by chair to Shek Li Tong, at Mile 55, which I made my head-quarters.

The following days were spent in travelling in Sections 6, 7, and 8 by launch and sampan.

Very considerable progress has been made since my last journey in September 1908. The earthworks are practically completed for the whole of Section 5 and

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