1936-02-05 — Page 7

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 1936.

MR. WALKER TALKS ON CANTON-HANKOW RAILWAY

Interesting Address

At Rotary

Club

History Of Railway Traced From The Beginning

An interesting address" was given at the Rotary tifin_yester- day afternoon by Rotarian E, D. Walker an *The Canton-Han- kow-Railway.” The talk was illustrated by the mid of a map which was hung behind the speaker and which was referred to during the lecture.

---In introducing the speaker Professor L. Forster said that the last meeting had been postponed as a mark of respect to the late King. He expressed the feeling that he was sure that the company would like to show their respect by standing for a minute in silence:

After the minute's silence had been observed Professor Fors- ter without preliminary speech called upon Mr. Walker to ad- dress the gathering.

Addressing the gathering the speaker said:-

A RESTRICTION

Boxer Indemnity. Find and from the revenue of the Southern Sec- tion of the line

SCARCITY OF FUNDS

About one year Inter, funds bew came scarce and work was retard- ed until, by the summer of 1932, a state of suspension was reached again Negotiations between the Ministry of Railways and the Sino-British Boxer Fund Board led to an advance being made in Oc- tober 1932 which enabled the Shaochow-Lok Chong section of 31 miles to be completed and handed over to the Southern Section Administration.

A loan agreement was complex- ed in July 1933 between the two. negotiating parties mentioned

above by which the Ministry of Railways was granted the sum of £1,660,000 for purchasing materi- as abroad and shout $30,000,000 Chinese currency for labour and local material required for the completion of the line. These grants enabled work to be pushed on at a rapid pace and if is taler- ably certain that the time will be opened to trafic this year.

ed to the extent of nearly 100 per.

The Construction Section for cent The Development Company.Lek Chong to Chuchow is 252 Mr. President, Gentlemen-Im- therefore, found it necessary to miles in length with Administra- mediately after my return from a secure a modification of certain tive Headquarters at Hengchow on tour of inspection of the Canton- terms in the contract.

the Slang River. Heng-how, Hankow Railway made two months

which is 338 miles from Wongsha, ago, I was asked by Professor A supplementary agreement was situated midway between the Forster to give a Rotary talk on reached early in 1900 and ratified two terminals Wuchang and Can-" that Rallway. At the time I was by the Chinese Government. A re-ton. The mileage of track laid is not at all sure why he wished me striction on assignment was em- 158 and there is still 24 miles to to give this talk, but the mystery bodied in this Agreement by the a Most of the earthwork, all the was explained when I received a Viceroy Chang Chih Tung who major tunnels, and the minin letter from him stating that he wished to impose a check on bridges and culverts have been proposed to visit Hankow with 30 Franco-Belgian aims. French and completed. All that remains of a or 40 others next Easter. Natural- | Belgian interests had been major nature is to complete three ly he wanted first-hand informa- strenuously engaged for years insteel bridges over the Lo Ho, the tian.

an endeavour to secure the con- Mi Ho, and the Lel Ho, between An after-lunch talk on an un-struction rights of this line. When Chuchow and Hengchow, and five completed Railway always pre- they found out that they had been reinforced concrete arch bridges sents certain dificulties. The rules checkmated by the' American between Ping Shek and Ko Ting. of brevity demand ruthless prun-group, they decided to transfer REDUCTION IN EMPLOYMENT Ing. One does not know what to their sphere of activity to New York

At one time 100,000 men were leave out and what to include, so and to secure a controlling interest employed on the undertaking, but that if this talk appears disjoint-

in the Development Company by this has now been reduced to ed, I trust you will bear with me. acquiring shares. In the language 30,000 owing to the slowing up An attempt will be made to trace of the Shanghal correspondent of necessitated by the rapid progress the history of the line and to pre- "The Times," they changed their and the désirablilty of completing method of attack from "the frontal engineering works at approxi- ai political to the flanking move-mately the same time. It is anti- ment financial."*

cipated that the whole lins will be

༣

been adopted throughout the whole of construction and it has proved highly successful Trains are not booked but run at times to ault the work: The 32-mile see-

sunt certain features of its con- struction and its possibilities...

The Canton-Hankow Railway, which is still in course of con- In 1902 the extension from Can-completed next July, that is this "struction and is estimated to cost ton to Bamshul vla Fatshan was July, and that after completion $175,000,000 Chinese currency, is commenced and a second survey Construction trains will continue 631 miles long and runs almost due by American engineers over the to run for a few months in the north through the provinces of main line was put in hand. The dual capacity of servicing both en Kwangtung, Hunan and Hupeh. It Canton-Samshui line was comgineering and trafic operations. .consists of three sections, each un-plated and opened to traffe in This is the method which has

der a separate Administration, The September 1904.-**- souther section extends from During this year the Belgians Wongsha to Lok Chong, a distance began to show their hands. China o. 169 miles, and includes the 30 refused to recognise the Belgian nites branch line from Canton to control of the Company and large- Sam Shul. The northern section { ly · through the efforts of Mr. J. tion between Lok Chong and Ping .cumprises 280 miles of main line Pierpont Morgan, the Americans shek, which was opened so this from, Wuchang to Chuchow, and succeeded in regaining control. A sort of operation in September last the 68 miles coal carrying branch period of inactivity followed which year, is now earning about $500. line from Chuchow to Pingshlang. | brought an outcry of protest from Both these sections are in need of the Chinese people who demanded

The whole of the construction rehabilitation, particularly the cancellation of the concession. work has been performed by an northern. The construction section The Chinese Government after all-Chinese Staff and they are extends from Lok Chong to Chu-negotiations with the Company particularly proud of this. I must chow, a distance of 252 miles. decided to cancel the contract by say that they have every reason

Daying the American TWO MOST IMPORTANT

group to be pleased. as the work is par $6,750,000 gold. This sum included ticularly well organised and ex- $3,750,000 for the loss of valuable

ecuted. done. The redemption of the conchenchow over rights and $3,000,000 for work The section from Lok Chong to the Provincial lean of £1,100,000 from the Hong Kong dovernment known as the whole system, Involving, as it does, Wuchang loan which was granted heavy rock cutting, tunnelling,

The Canton-Hankow Line is re- garded by the Ministry of Rail- ways as one of the two most im

per day.

HUNA

chow (mileage .338) is under the are short of rolling stock, work charge of a Director and Engineer has been impeded. All material In-Chief, a General Secretary and from Chuchow to' Eengchow, the 8" Chief Accountant, Transport central base, is transported by offices are established in Canton Junk up the Blang River. and Wuchang and three store de- There is plenty of good limestone pots are maintained at Lok Chong, between Lok Chong and Fing Henschow and Chuchowe Sher, but gravel ballast has to be The undertaking. is divided into used at present in the vicinity of 6 main districts, each with a Di- | Hengchow, t trict Engineer and three to four

There is a good: highway parai-

portant trunk lines in China, the tract was rendered possible by a divide is the most difficult of the Section Engineers... Each District leling the railway from Hengchow

other being the Lung-Hal Railway which runs almost due west from Halchow a modernised port on the

In 1906.

THE INTENTION

distance of

The work ja carried out on the Departmental system with con- tractors on piece-work rates Local contractors and labourers per 10m most of the earthwork, but the more involved work is carried 985, br northerners and workmen from Shanghai

|

is provided with a Doctor and to Chenchow and continuing to Police Officer with armed forces. Ping Shek Eight Chevrolet 3-ton trucks are maintained and operat- ed by the Construction Adminia- tration along this highway for the transportation of cement and other urgently needed materiais. As motor transportation is very ex- pensive for bulky and, heavy ME- teriál, small Junks are used up the Let River to us as Chenchow. These junks tare, under mest fa- vourable conditions, at least 20 days to arrive from Hengchów. At one time the Construction” “Ad neers ministration owned over 300 of petitive these junks, van

A magazine is published month by and distributed free, to staff. By this means all are kept informed of the progress and other relevant detalls comec with the work The District informed me that the spirit developed by this

as resulted in Lucreased putr

and economy.

east coast to Slan, the ancient

and the construction of high brid- capital of the empire and to-day

ges and large retaining walls. The the capital of the province of

arginal location of this section as Shenal. The importance to China It was the intention, after the planned by the American Engin of the former line cannot be over- American China Development err of the old Yueh Han Railway estimated: its economic value is Company had been persuaded to called for så tunnels. The new immense and its completion will retire from the field, to construct location, based on the studies of forge a very important link in her the railway as a Government - Messes. Y.C. Les and P. 8. Lia, unification. Connection with the dertaking. The merchants of Oan now both District Engineers Con- Felping Hankow Railway, which is to were opposed to this, however, struction, places about 24 miles of at present the most important and a joint stock company was the line on the Kwangtung side trunk line traversing China longi-formed known as the Tuch-Han along the east bank of the upper tadirially, will be effected by means Rallway Company. This company course of the North Haver The of a train ferry over the Yangtze completed in 1915 the 138 miles has reduced the number of fun River. This river is 4.250 feet wide section from Canton, north to pela to 14 at the Expense of an at ita narrowest point near Hankow Shaochow.

Increase in protective work. The or about four-fifths the distance. Construction work from Wu-scenery from Lux Chong to Ping between the two Star Ferry piers, chang south had also been put in sher

The history of the Canton-Fan- hand. In 1811 the "Hukwang Rail where the river passes through ORGANISED WORK tow Railway has been one long way Loan Agreement"

gorges la extremely beautiful chapter of postponement caused by negotiated" with Great Britain,

The work involved in orga THE BUN financial and political struggling, France, Germany, and the United

thetransportation of The line runs through good has been no mean The construction of a trunk line States, the British portion of connecting Hankow, or rather Wu- which was to be used for the cm-quality dark coloured limestone forms chang, inmediately opposite Han struction of the section from Wu- and treacherous shale in the gorge main kow, on tile south bank of the chang to the southern boundary o section, and I fear that there may North, Yangtze, with Canton, was Drst ad- Hunan Work which was started considerable dislocation to respec vocated by Sir MacDonald Stephen. In 1913 was retarded by the Great me in times of heavy rainfall ed son some seventy years ago. In War and the 228 miles section be due to the certainty of airs in the every subsequent scheme, for a tweenWnching and

shale banks and cuttings. The Changsha omprehensive system of railways was opened to trame in 1917. the formation level has been placed 9

China, such a line has cecupted 31 miles section from Chang

feet above maximum known river moünt promin position,N

to Chuchow had been in the food level. This is rather a small only

margin, and there is a pro- banka bability that in years to come the in winte ins may be damaged considerably, pids occur! by inundation, necessitating very on the noi heavy

was

In the year 1898, a concession to meantime, completed; to onable.

uct the line was granted to coal to 1 transported

üñèriçün-China Development

About this time the

branch line

had

vide

LAND PROVISION

Ample land provision has been made at Stations for future deven lopment. - Hengchow Station Ind yard, as befits its Important post tion halfway between the ter thing) stations has on" imposing lines

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