CO129-562-20 Whompoa Port- development 19-2-1937 - 4-4-1938 — Page 39

Encl. in Financial Adviser's P/L despatch No.

CONFIDENTIAL.

40

1/3/1937.

Kinute of Interview with Mr. T.L. Tseng (Vice-

Minister of Railways) in Nanking on 26th February:

1937.

LOOP LINE TO LINK THE CANTON-KOWLOON RAILWAY WITH

T: CANTON-HANK RAILWAY.

(At this interview the Canton-Reihsien Railway project, and the Chehow Railway workshops were also mentioned. These questions are dealt with in separate minutes).

Mr. T.K. Tseng informed me that General Chiang

Kai-shek at a recent interview with ar, Chang kia-ngau had

informed him that he had promised the british that the loop

line to connect the Canton-nowloon kailway with the Canton-

Hankow Kallway would be constructed. General Chiang Kai-

shek had told Mr. Chang kia-ngau that this promise had to be

redeemed and had instructed him to take the necessary steps

to make the link as soon as possible.

In doing so he was

however to avoid wounding local susceptibilities, and the

work was to be carried out in such a way that it was not to

appear as if it were done in execution of instructions issued

by General Chiang Kai-shek himself.

Mr. Chang Kia-ngau had accordingly decided that the

whampoa Branch Line would not cross the Canton-Kowloon line

by an overhead bridge as was planned at present, but by a

level crossing• This level orossing would be constructed in

such a way that it would be turned into an effective link with

the Canton-Kowloon line at any noxent. When the construction

of the Whampoa Branch Line was completed the first suitable

opportunity would be taken to carry out the instructions of

the Generalissimo.

kr.