Shuichon, Kuangtang,, February 29.
In travelling up the North River from Samshui to Yingtak I saw many signs of activity and progress' in connexion with this part of the Canton-Hankow railway which I gladly record, A few miles above the famous Fils tsz gorge m number of wooden sheds have been erected, in addition to an the probably soon be employed in the work of excavating' the 900 ft. tunnel which is to be cut there and for which, I hear, the contract has already been let. In the earlier stages of the line, the chief-engineer, Mr: Wong, let out the contracts in small sections, sometimes as little us 160 feet being leased to one contractor, but now wiser: counsels proval The line, which is a single one, is open for thirteen miles above Canton, while for fifty miles more the ground has been cleared, the track fixed and the grade measured, showing how much cutting and bridging have to be done by the contractors. The work is being pushed on with surprising speed and s soon the engineer's task is completed, estimates are being obtained and con tracts signed.
The country being surveyed at present consists of series of low hills which slope right into the river. At first, with 'a view to economy, the track was fixed close to the water, but this " penny-wi pound-foolish " method has been avai ed and the line placed higher up the slope, bringing the railway bank beyond the reach of the highest floods,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.