Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/689

Rh overhead railway, but increasing business has now led to the purchase of several larger and more powerful engines of the Baldwin type. The first and second-class carriages are comfortably appointed and, attached to each train, may be seen the mail car, painted a bright yellow and bearing the lettering "Chinese Imperial Post." The goods traffic has not yet received any great attention, but the number of passengers is steadily increasing. The line serves a rich and populous district, and some estimate, perhaps, of the intermediate traffic may be gathered from the fact that there are no fewer than 19 stations within the 30 miles distance. At present many of them, certainly, are nothing but dignified mat-sheds, but improvements are continually being made, and in course of time these structures will doubtless give place to substantial brick buildings. The first year's working produced no less than $700,000. The railway being now in the hands of the Chinese—owing to the Americans losing their concession—no foreigners are retained on the staff. In the early days the innovation was viewed with disfavour and active opposition, but since the Chinese—through the instrumentality of British capital—have recovered ownership, the line has been worked without let or hindrance from the populace.

The Canton-Hankow Railway, when completed, will, by joining with the Hankow-Peking Railway, place the commercial capital of the south in direct touch with the capital of the empire. The total length of the line will be upwards of 700 miles, 250 miles of which will be in Kwangtung, 300 in Hunan, and the balance in Hupeh. Each province proposes to build and maintain its own section.

This undertaking, vast in its possibilities for the future, is, together with the Canton-Samshui branch line, under the control of the Yuen Han Railway Company, or the Yuet Han, of Kwangtung, who acquired it from the Chinese Government after they had, by means of a loan of £2,000,000 from the Hongkong Government, purchased the redemption of the concession granted to the American China Development Company. The history of the enterprise, in its early stages especially, is not an inspiring one from the point of view of the enlightened and liberal reformer. Long and bitter recriminations between the various interested parties have seriously hampered and delayed the work.

The Kwangtung section starts at Wongsha, the populous western suburb of Canton situated about a mile and a quarter from the city proper. At the present time some 70 miles of the line are under construction. Twenty are open for traffic, and over this section passenger trains have been running daily for some months. By the end of the year it is estimated that 60 miles will be opened. A single track is being laid. The permanent way, consisting of an 18-feet embankment is well made and, provided the work of construction is done throughout in a like manner, there is every indication that the line will be comparable to any of the northern railways. It is of the standard gauge, 4 feet 8½ inches; heavy 85 lb. rails are used; and the best Australian hardwood is requisitioned for the timber work. The rolling stock in use at present is American, but it is intended to manufacture it in future at Canton to avoid the great cost of freight. In the Kwangtung section there are no great engineering difficulties. The longest tunnel is about one thousand feet, and there will be three or four others between two and three hundred feet long. No great waterways have to be crossed except the North River, where a bridge of moderate size will be required. After the first 50 miles the line, practically speaking, follows the banks of the North River, and thus skirts the large ranges of hills. The line is being constructed by a staff of foreign engineers under the direct control of Taoutai K. Y. Kwong, who was educated in America and received his training in railway construction in North China. The president of the line, for the moment, is Sir Chun Tung Liang Cheng, who, while probably knowing nothing about railways, is considered the best man obtainable for the post, as a strong personality is required to keep the conflicting parties at peace. He was formerly Minister for China at Washington, and, happening to be in official mourning, was elected to his present office. However suitable he may prove to be for the position, his occupation of it is bound to be of short duration, for as soon as his official mourning is at an end he will depart to Peking to resume his diplomatic labours. It remains to be seen whether the old troubles will then commence anew.

importance of the Kowloon Railway lies in the fact that it will be the terminal section of the great line—some 1,500 miles long—stretching from Peking to Hongkong Harbour. When the Hongkong Government decided, in 1905, to construct the line through the British territory their sole object, in the words of the present Governor, was to see that the final outlet of the great railway of China should be at Kowloon and no other place.

The preliminary survey was made by Mr. Bruce, but, after the chief resident engineer had completed a detailed survey in the early part of 1906, it was decided to make a few alterations in the original plans and run the line from the neighbourhood of Taipo, somewhat more inland, and tunnel through a small hill near Taipo instead of going round it. If the average rate of construction is maintained the line should be completed by May, 1910, and it is not anticipated that the total cost will exceed £1,000,000 sterling. This sum, however, does not include the value of Crown lands assigned for railway purposes. The survey of the section of the line from Canton to the borders of British territory—for the construction of which section the Chinese authorities are responsible—was only completed at the beginning of 1908.

The British section of the railway is about 22 miles in length. It is being built to standard gauge (4 feet 8½ inches) as a first-class line capable of taking the heaviest rolling stock. The rails are 85 lbs. per yard, and will be laid on Australian hardwood sleepers, 2,000 to the mile.

The masonry of all the bridges is being built for a double line, and all the cuttings in which rock appears are also being taken out for a double line, but the banks are only being made for single line, unless there is spare material from the cuttings. The only exception to this is the Beacon Hill tunnel through the Kowloon range of hills, which is only being constructed for a single line.

The line starts from the south-east corner of the Kowloon Peninsula, from a point generally called Blackhead's Point. The main terminal will be here on a large piece of ground which is being reclaimed from the sea. This system was found to be considerably cheaper than buying land.

From this point the line passes northward through some low hills to the north-east of King's Park towards the east of Beacon Hill. On the way it passes close to Yaumati, where it is proposed to put a station, and through a short tunnel.

The line approaches Beacon Hill at a grade of 1 in 100, and enters the big tunnel through the Kowloon Hills. This tunnel is the most difficult piece of work on the line, and on its completion depends the date of opening the railway for traffic. The tunnel is about 7,250 feet long, of which about one-third has been completed at present. The material through which the tunnel is