Page
November 21, 1903.]|
RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION
IN SOUTH CHINA.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
which went off to the accompaniment of music by the band and a rousing cheer from the guests and spectators. The train went away with a speed which seemed quite exhilarating, though OPENING OF THE CANTON FATSHAN the rate was only about. 12
mil's an bour.
LINE.
In the chronology of remarkable events in China, the opening of the first railway in purely Chinese territorylia Southern China has now to be recorded as having taken place on Sunday, November 15, 19.3. As every one knows, several railways have in recent years been made and brought into opera tion in the northern provinces, but the line from Cantou, the metropolis of the South. to the populous city Fatsban, about ten miles up the West River, is the first section of railway to be onened in the southern pro- vinces, outside the French colonial territory of Indo-China. It forms part of a line to Samshui which is being constructed by the American China Development Co. Who have the concession for the grand trunk line from Canton to Han. kow, which will run along the opposite bank of the river. Under their agreement with the Chinese Gore nment the Company have the power to issue 42,500,000 dollars. worth of fifty-year 5 per cent. gild Fonds. the interest being guaranteed by the Chinese Government, Excellent progress is being made with the work. From Canton to Fatsban the dis- tance is only 10 miles, but by the middle of January it is expected that the entire branch line from Canton to Eamshmi, a distance of thirty miles, will be opened. At the same time, preparations are well drauced for the com- mencement of work on the graud trunk line at. both ends. Out of Canton some 150 miles of the permanent way are located, and the work of construction begins at this end of the line probably in the course of the next fortnight. Including branches, there are approximately about 100 miles of railway to construct, and Mr. Willis E. Gray, the general manager and engineer-in-chief of the line, calculates that the work will progress at the rate of 125 or 130 miles year.
There was not so large a crowd of Chinese as one would have expected to see assembled to witness the departure of the first train, but probably this interesting fixture had caly been made known to comparatively few of the local officials and gentry.
Mr. Gray had invited a small party of friends from Hong- kong and chartered the Kinshan for their conveyance; besides there there were present on this interesting occasion nearly all the Enro- pean and American residents of Shameen. The guests from Hongkong included the Commodore and Mrs. Robinson, Hop, F. H. May (Colonial Secretary) and Mrs. May. Hon. Gershom Stewart, Mr. Hamman (Belgian Consul) Mr M. Noma (Japanese Consul-General), Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Tomes, Miss Hancock, Mrs. C. W. Dickson, Mr. and Mrs W.-D. Graham, Mr. and Mrs. E Goetz, Mr. H. E. R. Hunter and Miss Hunter, Mr. and Mrs. W. Danby, Mr. Fung Wa Chuo, Major Dopping Hepenstall, R.E., Captain Morley (Sherwood Foresters), Messrs Murray Stewart J. H. Lewis, D. R. Law, E. 8. Whealler, J. Williams, R. H. King, R. Hancock, H. Hancock, Dietrich, and others.
Five launches left Shameen about ten o'clock, conveying the guests of the General Manager half a mile up the river to the site of the railway station, a launch accommodating the Band of the Sherwood Forresters leading the way,
anding at the pier, the large party passed up to the train between lines of smartly-un formed ailway guards armed with rifles. A locomotive and half a dozen improvised drs stood in readiness to convey the party on their first railway journey to Fatshan. Altogether about 500 persons were accommodated on the train, half the number being prominent Chinese residents of Canton, Unfortunately H. E. the Viceroy was unable to attend, the day being the anniversary of the death of au Empress who reigned a hundred and fifty years ago; it was on this account also that the officials present were not in full dress
The supreme moment arrived at half-past ten. The cars being full Mrs. C. A. Tomes and Mrs. Gray accompanied the General Manager on to the engine, and at the usual signal from the conductor the ladies started the train,
At various points along the line of route small bodies of armed railway guards were stationed. In all, upwards of 400 of these men were employed, the majority of them being of the usual type of Chinese soldier, armed with all kinds of modern and obsolete lethal weapons, in which even the blunderbuss had its plac.. Whether to stand to attention" as the trai. approached, or to adopt the attitude of paring to receive cavaly." the company com
pre- manders were uncertain, and at some points on the line the spectators were ansed to see some of the m'a in the
line adopti g¦ one attitude and some the other. Wherever there were emall groups of Chinese they welcomed the arrival of the train with an enthusiasm quite unnatural to the stolid people of this country-a fact which became patent to all observers when at last the train drew up at Fatshan. Here a very large crowd had assem bied, but their enthusiasm was confined to the ex- plosion of countless crackers, the attitude of the crowd being one of intense, but respectful curio- sity. Evidently the cheering at the interme diate points was an American graft, and may be taken to prove the docility and teachability of the peopl. This remark recalls one made by Mr. Gray to the effect that alike in Yunnan and Kwangtung the engineers have been received with unexpected favour by the Chinese people.
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as well a number of freight cars, but they are net due to arrive until the middle of December. The locomotives at present in use were for- merly doing service in New York on the over- head railway.
The trip to Fatshan was greatly enjoyed by the guests, the weather being gloriously fine. up and 53 on the way back. Leaving the train at The train occupied 47 minutes on the journey the Canton terminus, the party were conducted to a large matshed, the interior of which was bedecked with flags of all nations. Here tifin was serred to several hundred guests. Mr. Willis E. Gray presided, and on either side of Colonial Secretary of Hongkong; Commodore bim at the cross table sat the Hon F. H. Muy, Robinson, Hongkong; Mr. W. Kirkpatrick Hrice, representing the Company constructing the line; His Excellacy Chang, of Caaton; Mr. Robert M. McWade, Consul of the United States; Mr. Eiswald, German Consul; M. Guillen, French Consul; M. Th. Hamman, Belgian Consul; Mr. J. D. de Morais, Portuguese Consul; Mr Noma, Japanese Consul; Taotai Wun, D'r ctor-General of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs in the two Kwang Provinces; Taotai Liang, who is acting as Mr. Gray's private secretary, and other Chinese representatives of the City, Mr. James Scott, the British Consul-General. who accompanied the party on the trip, was unable to remain to tiffin.
After the repast the Band played in the order named the National Anthems of the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, Japan, France, and China.
THE SPEECHES.
The CHAIRMAN, who, on rising was received with loud applause, aid-It is my pleasure to congratulate you ou your safe return (applause and laughter). When I say that the only fear I have had about the trip was simply about the tiffin, and, now that we have got throught I feel like congratulating you on that.- (Laugh- ter) It may interest you if briefly, give you some idea of what this day means to the people and the country which has inaugurated a movement resulting in the construction of the Yuen-Han railway. In 1898 Mr. Basche, an American gentleman, secured a concession for the construction of
Perhaps to most of those who travelled over this short railway, the immediate prospect of the line being a paying concern did not look hopeful, as between Canton and Fatshan only one single village of importance could be seen, and that one contained but little more than a hundred houses. When the train bad got a mile away from Shekwaitong it could have been said that there were paddy fields to the right of us, paddy fields to the left of us paddy fields before us and paddy fields behind us, with a house or two here and there nestling amid a clump of trees. And the spectator might well have asked- Where is the traffic to come from to sup- pot this line? This question is one which could not help forcing itself on the attention.
the railway. But he had no money! The answer is that, as in England in the He went to America and there sought the early days of railways, the superstitious fears assistance of one of the ablest and best known of the people are studied to such extent that statesmen of the day--the Hon. Calvin Brice - the railway does not rau through villages but (applause). As you probably all know, some traverses the open country in the near vicinity. few Years ago
Mr. Brice, to our desp When the usefulness of this means of transport regret, was, by Divine Providence, called away becomes recoguised, the railway station will,
to that bource from whence no travel er returns, no doubt, rapidly become a centre of magnetic and when say to you that it was a sad blow to attraction to the house-builder, and the growth this enterprise I only partially tell you the of villages and towns will be in the direction of effect. However, the enterprise is going on, their proximity to the railway station. It is as all things go on after we are gone. On the difficult to say to what extent the railway will 14th June 1902, an imperial Ediet was issued be used in the immediate future for the trans- which authorised the construction and approved fort of produce and merchandise, but the pro-
the contrast which had been made with Mr. moters confidently rely for the present Brice and his agents. Serious delays occurred on the passenger traffic. Exclusive of the until the middle of December, 1902, when we densely populated cities of Canton and Fatshan, began work. We were well started by the Ist it is es imated that the railway will serve a January, 1903, and you have seen to-day the population of a million people in the near neigh-beginning of the Hankow-Canton railway. bourhood of the track.
The permanent way is made of blue clay taken from the borrow pits, which are now filled with water, making canale on either side of the railway track. At present only a single line is laid, but in the course of a fort- night the double track will be ready. Between Canton and Fatshan steel sleepers are used; beyond that point they will be of wood from Japan. The rails used weigh 75 lbs to the yard, and the gnage is the standard, 4 ft. 8 inches, At Fatshan, work on the foundation of the station is in progress. Thisation is being built at an estimated cost of $7,000, gold. It will be a brick structure with tiled floors in the first-class waiting rooms, and concrete plat. forms. Besides the usual offices, dwelling rooms for the station staff will be provided. The fi ting-shops and locomotive sheds will be at Shekwaitong, and these are to be fitted on the most modern lines. Until the nature of the traffic to and from Canton has been demonstrated by actual experience, nothing can be said as to the design and character of the Canton station A regular service will be commenced on the 1st December with the cars improvised for the formal opening of the line. Thirty passenger cars and six locomotives are now on the way out,
There are those here who have contributed ver greatly to the construction of that portion of the line now ready for operation-our chief engineer, Capt. Mead, our assistant engineer Justin Burns, our divisional engineer Farnham, our resident engineers Vernon, Howe, Williams and others whose names fail to come to me at tre moment, but who are entitled to as much credit as the others, and whose assistance has been equally appreciated. Last, but not least, we have with us His Excellency Chang who has done more to placate the disturbing elements along the routs of this line than I can tell you, The only mistake that was made about him was that he was not born an American. (Laughter. He is a hustler. (Laughter and applause). The construction of the Canton-Hankow railway means a great deal to China; it means more for every nation of this world than,“people generally understand; it means the opening up of commerce not only to the United states but to Great Britain, Germany, France, and all the nations of the world. (Lond applause). In that result we are all interested. It is not a question of flag, but a question of how many dollars each one of us is going to get into his pockets when this undertaking is well in hand.
While this enterprise
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