When interviewed by a repre sentative of the "North-China Daily News" on Monday afternoon, Mr. Cole said that negotiations had been started shortly before the time he arrived in Shanghai 18} years ago and had been running ever since. Cables were now being Laid and it was expected that they would be completed by the middle of January. Tt would probably be before February 1 next that the service could be used by the public but the oficial opening would take place on that date.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.