CO129-376 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1911 [3-4] — Page 68

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Government control over the existing line should cease at an early date, It would probably be convenient to the Chinese Government to have the line down their

section of the line instead of continuing the use of the

This turns old roundabout route: I seeno objection to a new line being built along the railway to the frontier from Hong Kong; it would meet Chinese convenience and probably also be more useful to Hong Kong than the present line:

and as there is to be a frontier railway station where engines &c. will be changed on the through trains, there seams no good reason why the telegraph lines should not follow suit. This could be pointed out to the Chinese: as should also be the fact that Government control is not the same thing as control hy a private company: this may have some effect on the pro- ceedings with regard to the Eastern Extension Company. M. Nathan (see paragraph 3.) pointed out that China would not allow the Eastern Extension Company to om lines! so that they really ought not to object to our] adopting

đồng trong

a similar attitude.

16. I think we must go to the Foreign Office and to the Tastern Extension Company over this business. The line of action which I suggest is as follows:-

Sit

1. ? Tell the Eastern Extension Company that as the Chinese Government have now taken over the Canton Hong Kong telegraphs, His Majesty's Government cannot contemplate a foreign Government owning and controlling a telegraph line with a terminal office in a British Colony. It is therefore proposed to inform the Chinese Government

that

4 for obsons as

that they must remove their offices within six months.

In these circumstances the line must either be removed,

or taken over by the Hong Kong Government unless the Eastern Extension Company are prepared to work it on a lease from the Hong Kong Government. It is however in contemplation to abandon the old route and to run lines down the railway from Canton to Hong Kong, the ling within British territory being owned by the Colonial Government. The Secretary of State would be glad to learn whether, as suggested by the Hong Kong Government, the Company would like to lay another cable from Victoria to Kowloom and run the line for a term of years paying rent and royalties on the messages sent; the Government

however are considering whether they should not undertake the work themselves. Also, inform the Company of the draft bill and say that the Secretary of State proposes to approve its introduction.

II. ? Send copy of this despatch and of our letter to Eastern Extension Company to the Foreign Office say that the Secretary of State concurs with the Governor in

thinking that the Chinese Government cannot be allowed to own and work a line with its terminal office in Hong Kong:

that he therefore considers that that Government should

be given six months notice to remove its office from Hong

Kong: that as Sir R. Grey will observe it is proposed to discuss the future telegraphic arrangements in connexion with the railway negotiations; and that as

the application to the Chinese Government have already expressed a desire

in line the

ad Telegraph

wention

to run a line down the railway in place of the old route

the matter should be capable of arrangement.

? Add that the Secretary of State proposes to approve

the draft bill and ask for early reply.

(1390). W.20.024-26. 6000. 11/08. A.&E.W.

(15,613).

.. 18,912-27. 8000, 10709.

い

JR 304