CO129-518-1 Chinese Telegraph Office in Hong Kong 28-6-1929 - 3-1-1930 — Page 14

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(F 7476/30/10)

CHINA TELEGRAFHS

14-

Chinese telegraph line in British territory and telegraph

office at Hong kong.

In 1870, China then being without telegraphs of any

sort, two European companies, the Great Northern Telegraph

Company of Copenhagen (Danish) and the Eastern Extersion

Australasia and Chinese Telegraph Company Limited, (British)

were in competition for the introduction into China of a

telegraph service which should connect the Chinese seaports

with Europe. The Danish Company's project being the further

advanced, an agreement was reached between the two companies

that the Danish Company should carry out the whole of the

programme for connecting the seaports while the British

company should not extend their lines beyond Hong Kong.

the other hand a cable to be laid by the Great Northern

Company connecting Hong Kong and Shanghai was to be

considered a joint cable, the net revenues from the working

of which should be divided between the companies.

On

Realization of the value of the telegraph came but

slowly to the Chinese, and it was not until 1880 that the

Chinese Government, under political pressure, decided to

introduce a telegraph system into the interior of the Empire.

The work was carried out by the Great Northern Company

and the service rendered by them and the Eastern Extension

Company

D

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