Railways—While the history. of China's railways dates back to 187 the building of the first Woorunge tai line, the period of development dates' from the opening of the Peking Mukden line i 1003 to 1913. The total mileage of all lines is usually given at 15 miles, of which 5,803 miles opened between 1903" and another 1,803 miles were opened between '1913 and 1919, most of which were projected prior to 1913, and since 1919 only. two Hines, the "Supingkai-Taonan' Rail. way, 263. miles, joining the Mukden-ilarbin line, and the extension of the Lunghai Railway, from Hsu. chowiu to Haichow, have' been opened.
This development is significant from the fact that a considerable number of miles of the railway built between 1903 and 1912 were concessioned roads, and during this period the Government built an even greater number of miles. Following 1912, the granting of conees-sions ceased, and likewise the government slumped in railway construction, Tt was about 1915 when this system got into operation, and from 1915 to 1920 the annual railway surplus increased from less than ten to more than forty million of of dollars, while from 1920 to 1924 the annual surplus has decreased again to less than twenty million, the decrease is due to military operations. If the growth of trade up to 1920 had not been seriously interfered with, funds would be available to carry to completion the fairly well developed system laid down, that is, the Canton-Hankow, Hankow-Szechuan, and the Pukow Sinyang railways.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.