The Chinchon-Aigun railway scheme has been dwarfed in interest by the Tibetan incidents, but it has by no means been neglected by the Diplomatic Body. Chinn has not replied to the Russian Note, but negotiations are being carried on by the interested parties and as soon as the next counter move has been arranged the matter will be dealt with official can be learned the Chinese Government was not really interested in the Chin-chen-Aigan scheme. It was merely question of friends! The American group was anxious for the live and China acquiesced in the proposal. The Urga line, however, is a horse of quite another colour. Tt would mean the tening of the route to Europe by about five days and it would give direct communication with Peking. All the]! hereditary superstitions of the Chinese rise in strong protest against such an undertaking, but the more enlightened Chinese hail the possibility of such progressive enterprise with decided approval and point out that for the development of Mongolia alone the should be bout.
The Chinese Government was no sincere when it said that proposal required. carefal consideration: the answer was not merely © humorous reiteration of first reply to the Chiachon-Aigan proposal. For China appears to consider that the Urga line is rounded by strategical considera doubt that techaial military advice is playing a prominent part in the discussions that are now being carried on. The question of commercial success has also to be considered and in that respect expert opinions differ. Some people consider
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