3131
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[33328]
No. 1.
Bra? 23 NOV 09
95
[September 4.]
SECTION 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received September 4.)
(No. 146.) (Telegraphic.) P.
HANKOW-SZECHUAN Railway.
Peking, September 4, 1909.
The proposal made in your telegram No. 143 of yesterday's date that the whole line should be divided as equally as possible between the four groups will not, I fear, be put into effect without difficulty, although, if carried out, it would constitute the fairest settlement of the question.
Under your proposal the Germans would certainly be the gainers in the respect that they would increase their share as regards the financing of the Ichang-Chengtu line and the provision of materials for this line, but they would have to set off against this the practical surrender to the Americans or to the French of one of their Hupei branches, each of which is about 400 kilom. in length, while the extension beyond Ichang into Szechuan is, roughly, 1,000 kilom.
Should, however, this difficulty be overcome and the proposal be agreed to by the four Powers concerned, I consider that the influence of the four legations ought to be sufficient to obtain from the Chinese an undertaking to apply to the four groups for the capital required in regard to the extension into Szechuan.
The conclusion of the proposed arrangement will, I presume, entail a notification to the Wai-wu Pu by my American colleague and myself that the 1903 agreement is thereby repealed.
[2413 d-1]
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