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representatives are reduced to one. But on the
other hand it opens out enormous possibilities of
obstruction by the Chinese. It is so easy to be
unwell on the date of a meeting! I should be rather
inclined to query this point: especially as the Chinese will have plenty of opportunity for delaying
matters under the provisions of Article 5.
(3) Articles 17-24. I don't suppose that the
Chinese will ever agree to a system of profit sharing
which enables the British section to get more than its
actual mileage would give it. Still there is no
harm in trying to get as much as we can.
(4) Article 28. The obligations of the Chinese
Government in this respect have been pointed out in
paragraph 7 of this memorandum. Whether they will be
prepared to accept it is a very different question.
(5) Article 31. I think it would be distinctly
better to keep the Customs part out of the working
agreement.
On the whole I see nothing in the draft except
the point mentioned under Article 4, to which exception need be taken. But there is one proposal
which I think should not be approved. Sir F. Lugard
in paragraph 4 of his despatch of 11th March, suggests
that the Colony should lend the £40,000 necessary to
link the Kowloon Canton and Canton Hankow Lines.
Apart from the initial difficulty that Chinese sus- ceptibilities are nowadays offended at the idea of
foreign
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