RAILWAYS IN FAR EAST.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 417, 28 January 1909, Page 5

RAILWAYS IN FAR EAST.

.'■': -— '.:'.' 6 ' '.:^:J-V( '~:■■' ■:,.••:■■:' CHINA 'AND (or TBtßanirn—raßss AssociATioNr-coptaroHT.) ;■:■■ .''London, January 26. '"' Dr. Morrison, .Peking correspondent; .of ."Tho TirhoSj" hints that Britain will be .unable ,longer; to. support Japan's standpoint' in' connection'with the Fa-ku-men railway...'. '-.-' ;0 J THE CASE FOR JAPAN;'; - ' , : -Japan's' objection to China's - extending. the Hsin-nrin-te.nvjrailway 'to.Fa-ku-mcnii; is .that this line would'compete with- Japan's Manckurian railway's,'contrary to treaty. In.the House of-Commons last'iyear the Secretary'for Foreign Affairs (Sir'B;-' Grey) stated/in.reply .'to a question i—" As'"• f ar as, his Majesty's' Government are aware,, Japan is not contesting tho right in principle'of China'to extend her railway system/west of tho Liau River.. Japan is opposing the application for the construction of a particular line on the-ground.that an-agree-ment was 'arrived at ■in 1905,, between.: China and Japan by which ; tlie former country engaged. not to construct .'any main line of railway in the neighbourhood of, and parallel to, the South Mauchurian Railway, o> any ' branoh''line whioh might' be prejudicial to that railway. The existence of this' agreement is'"not .disputed by the Chinese Government.'-It-is open-id the contractors to .provoy .if- they/can do,so, to the satisfaction of -Japan, -that /the; proposed railway would.jiot. prejudice..the South. Manchurian line, and .so',would' not. violate - the agreement.''.;.< '■"'.'v'.-;-'.""'--. '.'>'. '■}.'. '■'*-.'•■,