Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-18
A NEW RAILWAY IN CHINA
Ready for Construction Work on Canton
Han-Kow Line.
Clarence Cary Has Secured Improved
Contract for American-China De-
vclOPmcnt Company.
From the New York Tribune.

From The New York Tribune.
Clarence Cary of Cary 4 Whitridge coun-
sci to the American China Development
Company. in which well-known New York
capitalists are interested. has just returned
from an extended visit to China in the in
tere$t of the company.
Construction work on the companys new
railroad to be built there will begin at an
early day. it is said. The railway. which it
is believed will be built entirely by Amer
lean capital, will reach from Canton to
Han-Kow. and will, with its branches, COM
prise nearly thousand miles of track. The
China development company is the one
which was organized largely by the late
Senator Calvin s. Brice of Ohio, and the
progress of the company has been of much
interest to investors in this country for
several Years.
Regarding this great enterprise Mr. Cary
said: This is the railway recently surveyed
by the American party under W. Barclay
Parsons, our chief engineer. 1t measures
out, including two or three of its immedi-
ately necessary branch lines. "A total dis
lance of over nine hundred miles, and when
constructed will stand for all time as the
most important trunk line of China fu-
ture railway system. There is a vast pop
ulation already within its territory, and
these ar" hardy. Industrious. thrifty and
temperate people, occupying one of the
chief centers of rice. cotton. opium and
''iitI Productions. WIN ample coal neluS,
YET comparatively untouched. near at hand.
This railway will be known as the Yueh-
Han line. this title being derived from
1ueh, the Chinese literary designa ton of
the Canton district, and Han" the first
syllable Of Han-kow, and in this regard
the analogy Of the Lu-Han line-from Luz
\ou-Chao. near Pekin. in the north, to
Han-kow-has been followed.
Canton is, of course. a terminal point of
great Importance in trade and population
lying near the great British port of Hong
Kong. while Han-Kow. some seven hun
dred miles to the northward. and about the
same distance from the mouth of the
fanStsc river. is a distributing port and
point Of the first consequence for the mid
die and northwestern provinces.
Advantages TO American Trade.
As to the Immediate benefits and future
advantages to accrue to American trade by
the cons ructiOn and operation of this rail-
way, these will necessarily be of an ex-
tensive and profitable character seeing that
the greater portion of the construction ma
terial and equipment must be purchased in
American markets. and that the line and
Its many collateral enterprises must in the
future keep the door open for "a great
American commerce in the wide region of
China it is destined to serve. Here will
be found an expansion of markets
which will take care of itself and need
neither c"ddiing nor safeguard.
referring 10 your question as to the
prospect now afforded by China for active
young Americans. and the chance of OBJ
tanning concessions. etc. | have no heSta-
ton in saying on the first branch of this
subject that in my judgment such prospect
Is entirely UnfavOrable. Indeed. l may here
repeat in this regard few words of what
| wrote in The Forum in January 1895 on
this point. it being understood that l am
referring particularly to individual rather
than corporate effort:
In business generally China offers no
greater openings than may be found at
home for foreigners whose skill. energy and
foresight count for as much in one place
as another AS for the chance of
employment under the natives. next to
nothing of this kind exists. Any foreigner
going to China to seek work, whether as
trained specialist mere employee at
once raises in Chinese minds the presump-
ton that he comes because he is not fit to
survive at home. The foreigner
who volunteers his services in Chinas af-
fairs is fOredOomed to failure, whatever
his degree or fitness
Japan May Quarrel With Russia.
That Japan Will, perhaps within the next
year, seek quarrel with Russia is widely
and confidently believed in the far east.
She has kept warm her Old grudge against
the latter country; has a strong army in
readiness. and is getting in lhe last
OF her up-to-date and really fine new naval
SbinS With T1p1n il is a pf