Fnon te "Hoxckose Daty Pazss."
In the chronology of remarkable events in China, the opening of the first railway in purely Chinese -territory in Southern Ohina has now to be recorded as having taken place on Sunday, November 15, 1903. As every-one knows, several railways have in recent years been made and brought into operation in the northern provinces, but the line from Canton, the metropolis of the South, to the populous city of Fatshan, about ten miles up the West River, is the first section of railway to be opened in the southern provinces outside the French colonial territory of Indo-China. It terms part of aline to Samshui which is being constructed by the American China Development Ca. who have the concession for the grand trunk line from Canton to Han-Kow, which will run along the opposite bank of the river. Under their agreement with the Chinese Government the Company have the power to issue 42,500,000 dollars worth of fifty-year 5 per cent gold bonds, the interest being guaranteed by the Chinese Government. Excellent; progress is being made with the work. From Canton to Fatshan the distance is only 104 miles, but by the middle of January it is expected that the entire branch line from Canton to Samshui, a distance of thirty miles, will be opened. At the same time, preparations are well advanced for the commencement of work ow the grand trunk line at both ends. Out of Canton some 150 miles of the permanent ya located, and the work of c nstruction begins at this end of the line probably in the course of the next fortnight. Including branches, there are approximately about 1,000 miles of railway te construc!, and Mr. Willis E. Gray, the general manager and engineer-in-chief of the line, calculates that the work will progress at the rate of 125 or 130 miles a year.
There was not so large a crowd of Chinese as one would have expected t xee asxembled to witness the departure of the first train but probably this interesting fixture had only been made kt li ly few of the local officials and gentry. Mr. Gray had invited a small party of friends from Hongkong and chartered the Kinshan for their conveyance; besides there were present on this interesting, occasion neatly all the European an American residents of Shameen. The guests from Hongkong included the Commodore and Mrs. Robinson, Hon. H. May (Colonial Secretary) and Mrs.
fon. Gershom Stewart, Mr. Harriman (Belgian Consul), Mr. H. Noma Gapanes. Ounsul General), Mr. and Mrs.
A. Tomes, Miss Hancuck, Mr. C. W. Dickson, Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Graham, Mr. and Mrs. E. Goetz, Mr. H. E. R. Hunter and Miss Hunter, Mr. and Mrs. W. Danby, Mr. Fung Wa-chun, Major Dop-one R.E,, Captain Morley (Sherwood Foresters), Messrs. Murray Stewart, J. H. Lewis, D. R. Law, Whealler, A. J. Williams, R. H. King, R. Hancock, H. Huncock, Dietrich, and others, Five launches left Shameen "bout ten o'clock, conveying the guests of the General Manager half a mile up the river to the site of the railway station, a launch accommodating the Band of the Sherwood Foresters leading the way. Landing at the pier, the large party passed up to the train between lines of smartly-uniformed railway guards armed ith rifles. A locomotive al id half a dozen improvised cars stood in readiness to convey the party on their first railway journey to. Fatshan. Altogether about 500 persons were accommodateil on the train, half the number being prominent Chinese residents of Canton, Unfortunately H. B. the Viceroy was unable to attend, the day being the nuniversary of the death of an Empress who reigned hundred and fifty years ago; it was on this account also that the officials present were 1 The supreme moment arrived at half past ten. full, Mrs.
3 ray accompanied the General Manager on to the engine, and at the usual signal from the conductor the ladies state the train, which went off to the xccompa ment of music by the band and a rousing cheer from the guests and spectators. The train went away with a speed which seemed quite exhilarating, though the rate was only about 12 miles an hour. At various stages along the line of route small bodies of armed railway guards were stationed. In all, upwards of 400 of these men were employed, the majority of them being of the usual type of Cuinese soldier, armed with all Kinds of modern and obsolete lethal weapons, in which even the blunt derbuss had its place. Whether to stand to "attention " as the train approached, or to adopt the attitude of preparing to revive cavalry," the company commanders were uncertain, and at some points on the line the spectators were amused to see some of the men on the line adopting one attitude and some the other. Wherever there were small groups of Chinese they welcomed the arrival of the train with an enthusiasm quite unnatural to the stolid people of this country—a fact which became patent to all observers when at last the train drew up at Fatshan, Here a very: large crowd had assembled, but their enthusiasm was confined to the explosion of countless crackers, the attitude of the crowd being one of intense, but respectful curiosity. Evidently the cheering at the intere:
te ports way an Anmerion graft, and be taken to prove the docility and teachability of the people. This remark recalls une made by Mr. Gray to the effect that alike la Yunnan and Kuangtung the engineers have len rece.ved with unexpected favour by the Chinese people.
Perhaps to most of those who travelled over this short railway, the immediate prospector the line being " paying concern did not look hopeful, as between Canton and Fatshan only one single village of importance could be seen, xnd that ove contained little more than a hundred houses. Where is the traffic to come from to support this line This question is one which could not help forcing If on the attention. The answer is that, ay in England in the early days of railways, the superstitious fears of the people ure studied to such extent that the railway does not run through country in boomes recog: l, the railway station will, no doubt, rapidly become " centre of magnetic attraction to the house-builder, and the growth of villages and towns will be in the direction of their proximity the railway station. I: is difficult to say to what extent the railway will be used in the imoedinte future for the transport of produce and merchandise, but the promoters confidently rely for the present on the passenger trafic, Exclusive of the de wisely p-pulated cities of Canton and Fatshan, it is estimated that the railway will serve " population of a million people in the near neighbourhood of the track. clay taken from the' borrow 2 pel nent way is made of blue its, which are now filled with water, on either side of the railway tr present only a single line is Inid, but the course of a fortnight the double track will be all ready. Between Canton and Fatshan steel sleepers are used beyond that point they will be of wood Japan.from The rails used weigh 76 lbs, to the yard, and the gauge is the standard, 4 ft. 8 inches. At Fatshan work on the foundation of the station is in progress. This eration is being built at an estimated cust of $7,000, gold. It will be brick structure with tiled floors in the first-class waiting toms, and concrete platforms. Besides the usual offices, dwelling rooms for the station staff will b" provided.' fitting-shops and locomotive-sheda at Shekwaitong, and these are to be fitted fon the most modern lines. Unitil the nature of the traffic to and from Canton has been demonstrated by actual experlence, nothing can be said as to the desi, and character of the Canton station. regular service will be commenced on the Ist_December with the cars improvised for
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.