Directory_and_Chronicle_1923 — Page 627

CHINA

RAILWAYS

573

Although China is traversed in all directions by roads, they are usually mere tracks, or at best footpaths, along which the transport of goods is a tedious and difficult undertaking. A vast internal trade is, however, carried on over the roads, and by means of numerous canals and navigable rivers. The most populous part of China is singularly well adapted for the construction of a network of railways, and a first attempt to introduce them into the country was made in 1876, when a line from Shanghai to Woosung, ten miles in length, was constructed by an English company, This little railway was subsequently purchased by the Chinese Government and closed by them on the 21st October, 1877. Since that time the principle of railways has been fully accepted.

The railway from Shanghai to Woosung was re-opened in 1898, as forming part of a line to Soochow, which the provincial authorities had obtained per- mission from the Throne to construct. A tramway, a few miles in length, begun in 1881 to carry coal from the Kaiping coal mines, near Tongshan, to the canal bank, has been extended to Taku and Tientsin on the one hand, and to Kinchow and Newchwang on the Gulf of Liao-tung on the other. This track was only completed in the early part of 1900, and during the summer months was, between Kinchow and Newchwang, largely destroyed by the Chinese so as to preclude the advance of Russian forces on Peking via Manchuria. A line from Peking to Tientsin was opened in 1897, the Peking terminus being at Machiapu, a point two miles from the Tartar city, whence a short electric line connected it with one of the principal gates; the traffic developed so rapidly that in 1898-9 the electric line had to be doubled. From Lukouchiao (or Marco Polo's Bridge) a line of about eighty miles in length was constructed southward to Paoting- fu, the capital of the province of Chihli; this line, in October, 1899, was handed over by the British constructors to the Belgian Syndicate as an integral factor in the great trans-continental line from Peking to Hankow. These lines were all more or less deliberately and in some parts completely destroyed by the Chinese during 1900. The Railways, as foreign innovations, were particularly hateful to the Boxers, who in many cases attacked the lines with a fury as intense as it was insensate: burning the stations, destroying bridges, tiring the sleepers and carrying off the metals. Later on, track destruction was a strong feature of the strategy of the Imperial troops, and from their point of view, wisely so. It was the cutting of the Railway that was the sole cause of Admiral Seymour's failure in his gallant attempt to rescue the Legations. All the lines in North China were attacked and badly cut. Since then the terminus at Pekin z has been brought inside the Chinese City at the Chien Men or Southern Gate of the Manchu City, and the construction of a circular railway to link up the various grand trunk termini in Peking has made progress, the railway running round three parts of the city. Later, it is proposed to erect a grand central station near the Temple of Heaven. A branch line has been made from the Chien Men terminus to Tung Chow, the head of the water-ways; and both the French and Germans pushed on the trunk lines being built under their exclusive auspices in Chihli, Honan, and in Shantung, respectively; but this work has been suspended since the outbreak of the European war. Railway vandalism was the first evidence of the savagery and magnitude of the Boxer sedition. It is significant that the Imperial Government was so inert in protecting its own property. Now, however, there is no need to preach the gospel of railway construction, and only lack of funds retards the completion of many new lines.

The Chinese Government Railway sta istics for 1920, issued in June, 1922, show that the Government railways in China cover 6,420 kilometres. Provincial and private railways cover a further 773 kilometres, ani "concessioned" railways 3,780 kilometres Thus, the total length of the railway systems of China is 10,573 kilometres, or 6,818 miles. China has, approximately, 54,000 of population per mile of railway in operation. This compares in very striking fashion with India, which has 13,000 of population per mile of railway, and, in making the comparison, it must be remembered that in India a wide extension of the railway system has for many years been held to be one of the essential needs of the country. On the other hand, the extensive use of waterways in China will always serve to keep these railway average figures higher than in other countries. In 1920 operating revenues at $91,443,932 showed an increase of 8,396,541, while operating expenses at $42,760,106 were $4,339,566 higher. After deducting all charges, the true net surplus in 1920 was $40,814,448 against $36,449,392 in the previous year. The railway system now operating in China is located principally north of the Yangtsze River. The Shanghai-Nanking, the Shanghai Hangchow-Ningpo, and the Hupeh-Hunan lines extend the system into South China. Construction plans are on foot to connect up other short lines operating

19