CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
October 28, 1899 Jan port for Tientsin, and, judging by the present | China on the system followed by the Belgian appearance of the Peiho, is likely to be perman- engineers, who do not make anything like that ently and solely the port for that emporium.progress in construction which Mr. Kinder and From Tangku the line takes a north-easterly his staff accomplished. As yet the Belgians direction to Shanghaikuan and beyond. The have had no exceptional difficulties on the line country about Tangka is dreary in the extreme, to face; so, judging from what they have being a mere mud fat, devoid of stick or stone, already done and the enorously difficult problems and devoted only to the production of salt they will have to meet when it becomes necess. from brine pans, but a few miles beyond ary to take into consideration plans for orossing scanty crops begin to appear and the country the Yellow River, the opinion of experts is generally improves as each mile is passed. that the Creek Kalends will see the conclusion At Latai, 51 miles from Tientsin, are several of the Lu-Han Railway by the Belgian large camps of native soldiers, and beyond Syndicate. this the country improves greatly in appear-
It will have been seen that close on 500 miles ance owing to its being better wooded. At of railway have been constructed under Mr. Tangshan, 80 miles from Tientsin, the Kinder, and it is acknowledged by all pro Kaiping soal fields are reached, and thence to fessional men that the work has heen thorough- Kayeh, 14 miles further on, some 10 collieries py well done, and that the best materials alone are at work, but the vast coal fields that exist in have been used. Yet all this has been accom- this district have as yet only been partially ex-blished at the extremely moderate cost of £6,000 ploited. At Tangshan the dull monotonous a mile, including rolling stock and plant, the 80 plain is pleasingly diversified by low hills, and miles of line from Peking to Tientsin being a thence onward the country is better wooded and double one. This, it must be borne in mind, is is highly cultivated, At Lanchou, 118 miles the figure allowed by the Chinese officials who from Tientsiu, the bill crosses the Lan Ho, and have had the control of the finances, and there as this river is subject to heavy and dan is good reason to believe that, had the financial gerous floods during the rainy season
control from the first been in the hands of trusty the bridging of it was an exceedingly foreigners, as the executive part has been, the difficult task. In the dry season the cost would have been found not the exceed bridge passes over a vast stretch of sand, while | £1,500 por mile. What a marvellous result the river, though a considerable and important this is, even at the higher figure, compared with stream, gives no trouble. But during floods it the Indian lines costing £15,000 per mile! It is rises to the top of the strong stone piers that noteworthy that the entire cost of the double line support the iron girder bridge, besides bringing of 80 miles from Peking to Tientsin was under down enormous quantities of silt that is every five million taels, and yet proposals were made to where thickly deposited. Lanchon is growing the Chinese Government from other influential in importance as a place of trade since the rail- sources to build it a cost of 10 million taels. way was built, and large quantities of paper which proposal was happily not accepted, and charcoal are now brought down the river in boats to be transferred to the cars at Lanchou. Soon after passing Lanohou the railway p- proaches the sea coast, and a station has been opened on the line, 152 miles from Tientsin, for Peitaiho, the well-known seaside resort of the North, which brings the traveller within four miles of that place. Twenty-one miles beyond this and Shanhaikuan is reached, 174 miles from Tientsin and for long this was the terminus of the line. For some time past the official time-tables hare included trains run- ning to Chunghouso 40 miles further on, or a total distence from Tientsin of 214 miles.
The line, however, is now fully completed to Chenchou 73 miles further east an important city that frequently appears on foreign maps as Kinchon, so that it is very often confounded with the city of than name on the Liaotung Peninsula. Local traffic has lately been carried between Chunghonso and Chenchou, so that the next official time-table will doubtless include train service from Peking and Tientsin to Chenchou, making in all 367 miles open for traffic from the capital, or 287 open miles from
Tientsin.
In addition to the main lines, under Chinese management, there are two short branches in working order, namely, one of 10 miles from Kaochiao, a place about 15 miles west of Chen- chou, to Tienchiaochang, a town on the coast, and another from Nuerrho, close to Chenchou, some 30 miles in length, leading to the collieries at Nanpiao. This makes a grand total of mile- age open to traffic under the Imperial Chinese Railway Administration of North-Chins, at the present time, of 407 miles. The work of laying lines from Tangku to the various wharves on the river, in order to facilitate shipping in- terests, is now in progress, and when completed will be no unimportant undertaking.
383
FUNDS FOR THE LUNGCHOW NEWWU
RAILWAY.
Yamen has borrowed from the Russo-Chinese It is reported from Peking that the Tsung Bank Tls, 1,200,000, for the commencement of the construction of Langehow Railway' in Kuangsi, and that the loan was signed and sealed by the respective parties on the 20th of September last, while the matter was reported to the Throne on the 22th of that month. N. C. Daily News.
MARRIAGE OF MISS CHARLOTTE
MYERS AND MR. P. R. WALSHAM, KA
ding of Miss Charlotte Cuningham Scott A very wide interest was taken in the wed- Myers, the youngest daughter of Dr. W. Wykeham Myers, of Formosa, to Mr. Percy Romilly Walsham, son of Sir John Walsham, Bart., K.C.M.G., which took place at the Cathedral, Shanghai, on Saturday afternoon, 21st October. Both the families concerned are very well known in China, and the ceremony and the subsequent reception were both largely attended. The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a dress of white satin, embroidered down the front in “true lovers. knots" in white silk and pearls, with court train of brocaded satin. She was attended by her sister, Miss Myers, and Miss M. D. Brazier, as bridesmaids. They were attired in white glacé silk, trimmed with white chiffon, turquoise velvet and paete buckles, and wore toques to match, with white ostrich plumee. The little trainbearers were Miss Vers Milles broidered muslin over blue silk, with blue ribbon and Miss Daisy Reid. They wore white om draped across the front, and white picture hate. Mr. F. J. Mayers and Comte René d'Anjou (both of the Imperial Maritime Customs) were respectively best man and groomsman. The ceremony was performed by the Right Rev. C. P. Scott, D.D., Bishop of North China, and the Rev. H, C. Hodges. Later in the day reception was held at the residence of the
Act Among the large number present were Sir ing Consul-General, Mr. Pelham Warren, Nicholas and Lady Hannen, Miss Hannen, Mr. F, S. A. Bourne and Mrs. Bourne, Baron von Prittwitz and Gaffron (Secretary of the German Legation at Peking), and many others. Telegrams were received from numerous friends who were unable“ to` be
One reason for this commendable economy is that Mr. Kinder has the direct control of all work done on the line, no matter of what nature. He is quite independent of any consulting en- gineer in London, nor is he hampered by plans made at great cost by others in Europe which are given to him to carry out, so that he is free to adapt his work to local necessities, and to alter or deviate from his plans as circums- tances and prudence dictate, While insisting on none but the very best material being used, the strictest economy in the use of it is practised, so that, as one Engineer on the line pertinently remarked, "two bolts are not used where one will suffice." It goes without saying that honesty of purpose, great profes- sional ability, and indomitable perseverance are the main factors in Mr. Kinder's great success, present. Duting the reception Mr. Pelham and though the majority of the engineers on the line are British it does not follow that no couple. At its close Mr. and Mrs. Walsham Warren proposed the health of the happy other nationalities have been employed, for Mr: left for Kiukiang, from which place they go to Kinder recognises the value of the spirit of the Customs bungalow for the honey moon. emulation and is prepared to take any good Presents were received from far and near, all man, no matter where be may have been born, of a very handsome description. The bride- Still, it is evident that there must be one dom-groom gave the bride a gold curb bracelet, inating system in the construction of the line, while the bride's present to her husband was and that has been British. The result shows set of silver-backed hair brushes. Sir John' that this could not have been improved upon.
and Lady Walsham sent a sapphire and diamond bracelet, a gold wateh, and a cheque, Dr. and⠀ Mrs. Myers gave a piano, and Miss Myers ■ silver candlestick and frames.-N. C. Dasly News.
It is well known that, so far as projected at present, the existing line has to be extended in s northeasterly direction to Hsinmintun, 106 miles beyond Chenchou, or 473 miles from Peking, with a branch from Kaopantze, about 40 miles beyond Chenobou, leading to Yingkow, near to the Foreign Settlement of Newchwang. Beyond Chenchou several difficult rivers have to be crossed, and the bridging of these will take place later on, but meanwhile the construction of various sections of the embankment has been vigorously pushed forward, and though the winter will interfere with much of the work it will not be many months ere trains are running to Hsinmintun and Yingkow. The line to Yingkow from the junction at Kaopantze is only 95 miles in length.
The terminus at Yingkow will be north of the Liao river, or some distance from the main line of the Manchurian Railway. It has not yet been determined where a connection-if any
It must also be borne in mind that 88 miles of railway have been fully constructed by Mr. Kinder and his staff from Fengtai-live miles from Peking on the Tientsin line-to Paoting- fu, together with a short branch of 10 miles from Liuliho to Choukoutien, which has been handed over to the Belgian Syndicate as form. ing part of the Lu-Han Railway. Amongst those who have any knowledge of the subject the consensus of opinion is that it is extremely problematical whether a further distance of any thing like 88 miles will be added by the Belgian Syndicate to the work done by Mr. Kinder, though there is a staff of 20 foreign engineers already engaged on the work. That where there
multitude of councillors no doubt true in some instances, but the axiom does not The German gunboat Titis arrived at Shang- seem to apply to the laying of a railroad in hal on the 19th October from the Yan
*.wisdom
В
is to be made with the Russian line, but it may be that a branch of the Manchurian Rail way will run to Yingkow, south of the river, or that the Chinese line may ultimately be extend- ed from Hainmintun to Moukden, a distance of about 50 miles, and there connect with the Rus sian line.-N. O: Daily News,
THE BOCCA TIGRIS FORTS TO:
BE STRENGTHENED;
Kang Yi's departure for the North from Canton has again been delayed, says the Hupao, a secret ediot having been received by him on the 5th instant to inspect carefully the great forts at Humen, at the entrance of the Pearl River (Bocca Tigris forts). It is intended, according to a Peking report, to use the money collected by Kang Yi at Canton to strengthen and increase the number of high power guns st Humen, as it is believed that war, cannot be averted if China is to preserve her independen-- ce-N. C. Daily News.
The Echo de Chine learns that the Americans have suffered a serious defeat in the Philip pines, but that the news was prevented reaching Hongkong. Some hundreds of U.S. soldiers were made prisoners and the Filipinos had caps tured an American gun-boat. The Echo adds sur c *We give this news with all reserve, but won haye serious reasons to believe that we shail. hare to confirm it shortly." We anticipate that our contemporary will find it has been imposed
upon.
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