HC Deb 03 May 1898 vol 57 cc184-5
MR. JOSEPH WALTON (Yorks, W.R., Barnsley)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether Her Majesty's Government are aware that the French Government have already completed their railway system in Tong-King up to the Chinese frontier, and have recently obtained a concession enabling them to extend it in Chinese territory, so as to tap the trade of South China; whether, having regard to the hindrances to which British trade with South China are subjected by the imposition of a heavy tariff on all British goods passing through Tong-King, and by the action of France preventing the opening of the West River to Nanning, Her Majesty's Government will demand a concession authorising the construction of a railway from British Burmah to the upper valley of the Yang-tsze-Kiang, in order to provide a commercial highway for British trade on which no foreign Power can impose differential tariffs, and by which British goods passing over a land frontier of China would be liable to much lower duties than if sent into that country through a Chinese seaport; and whether, with a view to thus connecting by railway two empires containing 600,000,000 of population, in the interests of British commerce, Her Majesty's Government will cause surveys to be made to ascertain the most practicable route?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

The facts are as stated in the first paragraph of the Question. Her Majesty's Government are alive to the importance of the question of a possible railway connection between Upper Burmah and the western provinces of China, and when the Burmah line is efficiently advanced towards the Chinese frontier the question of surveys, with a view to possible extensions beyond, will receive their earnest consideration.

MR. JOSEPH WALTON

Arising out of that Question, may I be allowed to ask the right honourable Gentleman whether, having regard to the character of the country to be traversed by the railway, and the considerable time which the survey to ascertain the most practicable route, will necessarily occupy, and having regard to the fact that the French Government have already completed their railway from Tong-King to the Chinese Frontier—

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! The honourable Member is now making a speeoh. If he wishes for information he must ask a Question.

MR. JOSEPH WALTON

I apologise, Sir, if I made a mistake. What I want to ask is, whether, having regard to the length of time necessary in making the surveys to ascertain the most practicable route, Her Majesty's Government do not consider it advisable that they should be commenced at once?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

The difficulty of the country to be surveyed is no doubt an element of the problem which will not be lost sight of.