[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[24980]
No. 1.
411
[July 11.£3223
SECTION 1
Rec928 JUL 10
(No. 163,) Sir,
Mr. Max Müller to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received July 11,)
Peking, May 24, 1910. WITH reference to my despatch No. 123 of the 25th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith a summary of the principal articles and items of interest which have appeared in the native press of Peking during the mouth of April, prepared by Mr. Phillips, assistant Chinese secretary.
I have, &c.
W. G. MAX MÜLLER.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Summary of the Peking Press for April 1910.
THE month under review has on the whole been an uneventful one as regards items of news to be found in the daily press of Peking, and it is as difficult as ever to extract the truth from the many false reports which find their way into print. The "Peking Daily News" still maintains its anti-British tone, but this is hardly to be wondered at in view of the fact that this paper is controlled by a clique of American-educated Cantonese-several being secretaries in the Wai-wu Pu-who are hand-and-glove with Mr. Ohl, the correspondent of the "New York Herald."
A short résumé of some of the more interesting topics touched on during the month is given below.
Railways.
Hupei.- -Since permission was given to the Hupei delegates to form a company to collect share capital, the papers have asserted that several thousand shares were at one time being taken up daily in Peking, and that in Hupei the keenness to subscribe is so great that in poor districts the people are selling the very clothes off their backs to buy shares. The "Peking Daily News" states that the real reason why the board replied favourably to the petition of the Hupei delegates was that a large number of shares had been taken up by soldiers, some of whom were also founders of the Railways' Aid Society at Hankow; further, that a telegram was received from the acting Hupei Viceroy that a mutiny was to be feared if the board persisted in their refusal.
An enthusiastic reception was given to the delegates by several thousands of people on their return to Hankow. Further, on another occasion, popular feeling showed itself when a crowd of some hundred men assaulted a minor official of the Board of Communications, by name Yang Tu, on the British concession at Hankow. It appears that this official had incurred the wrath of the Hupei delegates by presenting a counter-proposal that the Canton-Hankow Railway be officially controlled. Yang Tu was eventually rescued by the municipal police.
Tien-tsin-Pukon Railway.-It is stated that Ln Ten-Hua, general manager of the northern section of the Tien-tsin-Pukow Railway, has been deprived of his post for corrupt practices, and that Jen Feng-Pao, the official sent to investigate the charges against him, has been appointed in his place.
Changchun Kirin Railway.--The route of this railway has now been decided. It is expected that in order to establish the junction with the South Manchurian Railway, the termínus will be located inside the Changchun station compound. The length of the line will be 80 miles. Two tunnels will have to be bored and three bridges con- structed, but notwithstanding these obstacles, it is hoped that the work can be completed in accordance with the original programme, viz., 30 miles during the present year and 50 miles next year.
Antung-Mukden Railway.-Reports still continue to come in from the Antung- Mukden Railway zone not altogether of a reassuring nature. The fact that the
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