Directory_and_Chronicle_1911 — Page 1069

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

1040

CANTON

the direction of a Chinese engineer. The first section of the line-from Wongsha to Kongtsun, a distance of 17 miles, with three intermediate stations-was opened on July 17th, 1907, and in December, 1908, a further section to Yuntam, 44 miles from Can- ton, was opened. Good progress with the work continues to be made. Owing to the difficulties experienced in getting the Chinese shareholders to pay up the calls on their shares as they fell due, the government resolved at the end of 1908 to raise a foreign loan. A Chinese-owned line from Canton to Whampoa and thence to Amoy has been projected and surveys have been made. The capital of the company is 40 million dollars, but only about one-fifth has been paid up or promised. A concession for a line from Macao to Canton was granted in November, 1904, to a Sino-Portuguese syndicate after prolonged negotiations, but this has now been cancelled. In accordance with stipulations in the Supplementary Commercial Treaty between Great Britain and China, concluded in 1902, the various barriers or artificial obstructions to navigation in the Canton River were in 1905 partially removed, thus rendering the approaches to Canton safer and easier for shipping, and simplifying work in connection with the proposal to improve the accommodation for shipping in the harbour. Extensive wharves and godowns have been erected at Pak Hin Hok on Honam Island, about two miles below Shameen, which enable ocean-going vessels of considerable draught to proceed up to Canton. During the last year or two large bunding operations have been in progress, along the Front and Back Reaches, and a considerable amount of building has been done on the Shameen, where there are now very few vacant lots.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1911 — Page 1069

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