New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-16
RAILWAYS IN CHINA.
THE GOVERNMENT WAKING UP TO THE
NECESSITY FOR THEM

THE GOVERNMENT WAKING UP TO THE
NECESSITY FOR THEM.
FOREIGN ENGINEERS AND CAPITAL STILL
RIGIDLY ExcLUDED-MTNIsrER DENBYs
WORK FOR AMERICAN INTERESTS.
[Br TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBuNE.l
Washington. March 5.-According to a report re-
Gently received from Minister DENLY. the Chinese
Government has at last realized that railroads are
important TO commerce and beneficial to the labor
ing classes" but Is also strongly determined to ex
clude foreign capital and foreign control On De-
cember g. 1893 Imperial decree was ISSUED placing
the construction OF a railway from Tien-Ish TO Luz
Kou Bridge eight niles west OF Picking. In the hands
OF Hu Chu Fen. a provincial Judge. who has had
some experience IN the Tlen-Tsin Railroad and is a
protege Of Prince Kung. The cost of the new rail-
road. seventy miles long. Is estimated IN the
decree be 100000 taes tabout s2o"eo, or more
than S2s 900 mlle) Minister DENLY reports that an
American engineer recently estimated the cost OF
this line at $4,000 mile. with rolling stock ana
equipment complete. and that the route presents
no difficulties except the necessity OF high empahk
ments and numerous drains and culverts IN certain
localities to cope with annual HOODS. II appears
that Mr. Iu Is instructed not TO employ any foreign
capital whatever and that he Is said 10 nave already
,ttuuy0 ta.ls at his command and expects to finish
The railroad within twelve months. Minister DENLY
continues:
That part OF the decree that orders merchants TO
foi IN stock companies Tor railroad Duo!nb outlines
me present raiiroad policy of China. There Is
suons Gc,erminaton on the part OF the Government
TO eAc.uue foIo.s capital ana ioreiSn contioi lhere
is on TO believe however that TINS determination
wln save way before the magnitude OF the under
tahlLg whlcn wili BRING TO hRht the iheApei 1eoe
OF Nh, 'hnese managers. There will then be 81 eat
neu open here u Iore.gn railroad enterprise ms
neld has ALREADY ATTRACTED sieat attention. anu IL
WI, doubtless eagrIIy disputed By the representa-
tves OF the railraau interests OF Farious na.o'ai
ties. have not iasrd Oh al! ptuPei ov~a aa =.
urge the Cnn,-c authorities the pie-e''"c.'e =.
factre OF all IN osc products which Chinas railroad
system Will In time r"qu1ie II wou,I De mucn W
be regretted should this market be allowed 10 pass
without an effort into the hands OF others The
te, mtnatio the line AT lu-hOu Brldg.. esh' mies
west 81 iekng Is IN a''. enc ~ ri'ps ~ In.
imper,al residence must be prevented from con-
tntniu.tlon by close contact with such western
''',,,,,r,m-nts 1his sentiment will doubtless soon
disappear and Il is probable ihht before MANY yeal
the locomotive viii be running beneath '"c ""''' VI
In the In,pera. .iccree Of December g. 1885. are
found these passage
II is ntiicui, to determine what TO DO at the incep
non OF new enterprise. IL - important not 10 uls
trust those whom one emp.oy- tiu Gnu feh IN .ne
xxx and subsequently, ne repeatedly went over ths
stounI In person. Let nm now nave soi' chntse "i
20 cnnstr,,c,ion OF the line from Iien-Isln TO
,...,ng 81 the Board OF Revenue and the Minister
suprrntcnaen, OF Northern Trade jointly take steps
to provide the necessary funds As 10 the trunk ine
from Lu Kou bridge TO Hankow the route Is iohs
AMI the cost would be great IL there are wea.thl
r.,chan,s in the provinces who can collect together
the .nm OF 100000 taels or moro let them be per
mit,ei to establish companies. ana win earhest e.
Tort undertake railroad construction me ons'ns
hail u. I'm IN. hands OF merchants exclusively ana
shall be otiical interest IN tne, ~ - q,
efforts are unaffected they shall receive recognition
OF Their service
Referring 10 tho Hlnkow-Peking Railway project
The Norih China Herald, OF Shanghai "h''' JAN
uary 49, 1895. says.
\ coupi. OF Cantonese gentlemen living In ahan5-
hal members OF powerful syndicate Mnose am -
20 tender FOR the construction Of me Pekns nahkow
Raway have received tel@srlphc notice OF IN" saie
arrival AT Pekng OF several OF their colleagues VINO
| memb,rs OF the Board Of Revenue with reference
to the scheme The syndicate In question; IL IS re-
| laDly stated. have deposited $1,000 taeis win
certain foreign bank and 10000 taes worth OF &c
enco OF their wealth and ability TO carry their sus
gestons to a s;cce-sfIl issue. This amount is one
I'm" accoriine TO The ,iIc published in these CO...
nmns fortnlgh, ago and me other nalt eSUOoS s
native gentry and merchants Of the various treaty
Ports and provncm ap,aS ana c, ,r'n. sn,,,smen,.
, sN ,h nncess,ry Authority 10 the syndicate
r. MA me me synd,eat ncmdcs several wealthy
Tired emigrants who have returned from California
BEST known Cfinese Of Hong Kong and few in
Shanghai while those from Canton are represented
| by such men as the famous Weisng lottery monopo-
~. Liu Prime Kung and their coIl.agues IN the
Ministry OF War. including several OF the ptesioeh'S
| and vice-presiden,s OF the Board Of Revenue
|
The North China Herald" Of January Ia, 1876
1t reported upon what seems 70 be good autho
ity that tho LANG Kiarg Viceregai GoVernfnent ~
| given the construction OF the Shang SooI nov
| OF watch is a Belgian The Chinese are to borrow
the money for the construction from the syndicate
! the loan to b. repaid In instruments psgnh, M
from the third or fourth year after trains have be-
gun running between The TWO cites ne opJect 10
this is 10 maxi tho railroad obstruc,ionsts In re-
poyed in the construction of the road The ter
| minus OF this railway Is 70 be az Sinza Nninese
territor wherS also VII be tng sf apq
| Inc 10 run between Shanghai. Soochow and Han
chow This may account for the eager buying lH!e I
shanghai BY native land spectators.
| The fact that successful. railway development is
mainly II not wholly dependent upon cheap and
sufficient coal suppl appears to be clearly rscog-
nzed in China. Judging from the remarks OF
writer on the situation In THE Picking ana Iien-
| Tsin Times" who says
| There are symptoms indicating that the chinese
near Picking are awakening TO the aaVintaSe OF en-
ployng foreign engineering know.cdSe anu ihacnn
| ory. Considerable coal feds extend OVER a vast
OF the mountains north ana west or ne cap!
| tai at n distance of about one hundred II from u,
They have hltherto been worked by the sereotyped.
| irrational moe fashion characteristic or chi
| nese When tie natives discovered the coal seams
| into them and In some PAGES they have penetratei
as far as 5000 feet In others only rev hundred
feet. when they wer" stopped by W",sl WIZ =, VIII
| and The mines have consequently. In many cases.
been abandoned We are glad. however. to hear
that rich Chinese stirred nv ons ,,,h
foreign engineer tn develop the mining possibilities
OF tho northern districts Chinas coal fields are ex-
distant lime they Will have equal effect on the
commerce and manufactures OF the world
| ---------------