16 Anglo-Chinese Diplomacy 19o6-1920 Jordan,Yiian and Chinese politics,19o6-I9II 17 During the following three years,however,Hupei,Hunan,and Kwangtung undertook to build the Canton-Hankow line themselves.In delay was caused by Chinese provincial opposition,and the claim by the United States'government to the right to share in the loan. this Kwangtung made the most headway,although its achievement was Much to the annoyance of the British government and financiers,the negligible.By now Chang Chih-tung had realized that a foreign loan American intrusion delayed matters until 23 May Igro when a quadruple was necessary if the railway was to be completed at all,and to become a viable source of revenue.At the end of 19o7 Chang was relieved of his agreement was signed,accepting American participation and raising the total sum of the loan to 6,000,000.35 Jordan however,was spared much provincial duties and was called to the capital to assume the position of frustration because early in Igro he became seriously ill and left China a grand councillor.In July 1go8 he was given the additional respon- shortly afterwards. sibility of directing the construction of the Canton-Hankow line and at Turning to the question of provincial hostility,opposition came first this point he recalled his promise to the British in Igo5.In October from Kwangtung.Discussion of borrowing foreign money to build the through contact with Everard Fraser,British consul-general at Hankow, Canton-Hankow line was first broached in 19o8.The president of the he requested British financial aid for building the Hupei section of the Kwangtung Canton-Hankow Railway Company (Kuang-tung yieh-han railway.30 t'iek-lu kung-ssu)assured the British acting consul-general at Canton, Jordan was pleasantly surprised by Chang's overture and,for a while Harry H.Fox,that the company had sufficient funds to complete the enjoyed the progress of the negotiations between the Chinese and the Kwangtung section of the railway.36 Later that year when Chang British and Chinese Corporation.31 Deadlock came in February 1gog Chih-tung,who had become well known to be in favour of a foreign when the representative of the corporation,J.O.P.Bland,insisted on loan,was responsible for overseeing the construction of the Canton- adhering to the terms of the Canton-Kowloon Railway Loan Agreement. Hankow line,Jordan noticed increased agitation in Kwangtung.Chang These he regarded as the irreducible minimum for the protection of the himself was conscious of the danger of the situation,and assured the lending party.Chang Chih-tung would not concede anything more than provinces that the government would bear their interest in mind.37 the Tientsin-Pukow terms,which of course were more advantageous to Compared with Kwangtung,Hupei and Hunan were then much less the borrowing party. militant in attitude.They had made much less progress in building their Jordan at first agreed with Bland,but changed his mind when the sections of the railway;and Chang Chih-tung,despite his transfer to the Germans offered a loan to Chang on the basis of the Tientsin-Pukow capital,maintained his influence in the two provinces.38 agreement.32 Three months later in May,the situation became more Not long after Chang Chih-tung's death in October 19og,Hupei and complicated.On 14 May Igog the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank,which Hunan became unruly.Matters relating to the Hukwang lines were now had replaced the British and Chinese Corporation,made an agreement placed in the charge of the Ministry of Posts and Communications.It with the Banque de I'Indo-Chine and the Deutsch-Asiatische Bank. was brought to Jordan's attention that the Hupei Railway United They would make equal loans to Chine to build not only the Canton- Association (Hu-pei t'ieh-lu tsung chi)had forced contributions from Hankow line but also a railway from Hankow to Szechwan which the farming and business classes in the province.The press in both together would comprise the Hukwang railway system.Jordan objected Hupei and Hunan quoted freely from British newspapers,notably The strongly but the British Foreign Office agreed to the arrangement,being Times which attached political significance to the loan negotiations,to anxious not to strain further the already tense Anglo-German relations. show the powers had ulterior motives in competing to build the railways. Jordan was mildly happier when the British group was alloted complete Moreover,the two provinces clearly acted with the knowledge,if not engineering right over the whole Canton-Hankow line.33 support,of the local authorities.39 The British minister was still embittered about the internationalization Consular reports reached Jordan that in Szechwan there was zeal to of the Hukwang loan.Nevertheless,he now reasoned that 'it matterfed] build the railway to Hankow with provincial resources.40 The whole not so much who builft]the railways as that they should be built quickly situation had become explosive,and an imperial edict was issued not in the interests of trade'.34 But the railways were not to be built quickly: long before Jordan left China early in Igro.The Hupei gentry were granted the right to issue stocks for building the Hupei sections of both