CO129-519-6 Development of railways proposed by Chinese Government 7-9-1929 - 17-1-1930 — Page 57

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mentions that the contemplated loop will facilitate

the transportation of heavy railway material from the

Port of Hong Kong for the construction of the unfinished

portion of the Canton-Hankow railway. I informed Mis

Excellency that we have no objection to the building of the same from an economic viewpoint.

(4). The Development of Whampoa as a Port.

I explained to His Excellency that hampoa at its fullest development would be a second class port, and Hong Kong would retain its importance as the first

class deep water port of the South, and that our interests are not conflicting but inter-dependent and complementary. His Excellency assures me that Hong Kong would not only raise no opposition to the development of Whampoa as a Port, but would welcome and assist in its realisation, in order to show that the popular notion of Canton that a loop line would mitigate against the importance of the city

is unfounded. In order to raise the money for the purpose, His Excellency is willing to approach the Secretary of State for the approval of the scheme and to assist in the raising of funds in London. In this regard, His Excellency asks for the detail scheme and the total cost for the

development of the said port, and I have promised him a

copy from the Ministry.

Preliminary Agreement arrived at on the above 4 Subjects.

To sum up the whole conference, His Excellency agrees that Hong Kong would assist to obtain from London the financial means for the rehabilitation of the Chinese section of the Canton Kowloon Line, and the development of the Thampoa Port, provided that we agree to build the

loop line