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might be quitted as unnecessary. I requested that the two
reserved Articles 37A and 371) and the proposal to delete
the twelve words in Article 37 should be submitted to
Sheng Kunz Esq. President of the Board, and that if lis
Excellency declined to accept them as they stood, an inter-
view chould be arranged at which I would give further
explanations. I wade it quite clear to Lord li that I
regarded the incorporation of some provision for connection
with the Hankov line as absolutely essential at this stage,
and I refused to entertain his plea that it would be time
enough to arrange for that when the Canton-Hankow Railway
was completed.
As regards the form in which the Agreement
should be signed, I stated my opinion that it should be
signed by the Board under the authority of an Imperial Edict.
Lord Li replied that in that case it should be an Agreement
between the two Powers and not between Chins and the Govern→
mont of llongkong and should be signed on our sido by me or
by some high officer duly authorised by His Majesty's
Government.
I concurredo in this view, and also in the
opinion
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