Show progress shown in the canton hong kong line will be connecting link between southern asia and europe part played by americans in rail laying there hong kong on april 7 ills ea cel lency the viceroy of canton laid the foundation stone ot the railway at canton which Is destined to be the terminus of the railway from kowloon opposite hong kong and the connecting link between the south of the continent of asia and the continent of europe railway enterprise 1 proceeding apace in china and in this southern effort in particular americans should evince not a little interest since it was an american syndicate which 1 1898 secured a concession to build a line from canton to bankow some miles distant and which as part of the work did build the existing road from canton to it is history that the american syndicate relinquished the concession in 1905 but since that time the chloese have pushed ahead with the and tt e rails are gradually crawling north to connect with ivankow which Is al reddy in touch with europe ahe line between canton and iiona kong is miles in length and the 22 miles on british territory is being built the british authorities while the balance on the chinese side is being constructed by the chinese them helveg it is anticipated that no difficulties of management will arise when alie line is in working order but rumor has it that the british are endeavor ing to acquire the rights of the whole map showing projected extension of bankow canton railway to hong kong line to canton with the object of at once obviating the possible trouble of dual control and giving britain quite a firm stand in the south of china however that may be the line is going ahead from both end construction work on tl e hong kong bide has been proceeding since 1907 and there are considerable engineer ing difficulties being faced as may be judged when it is stated that the 22 miles is estimated to cost at least 1 on the route there are many bridge and cuttings and one bunel tunel 7 la length as well as one or two minor ones on the chinese side the coun try is mostly flat and there is no need for tunnels tho agh a large bridge ft be needed near the frontier to cross the river which divides the territories ri mr trank groves the engineer in charge of the line by the way it must be mentioned that british en ginders are in charge of the construction work la of the opinion that traffic will be proceeding in another two years and by that time it is hoped the line bound for bankow will be well on the way but there Is room for doubt about that though the work Is going on it is proceeding ery slowly and members of the board of control do not appear to be quite comfortable in their minds as to the proper manner in which to conduct the and industrial details there are many european engineer engaged on the line but they have no oice in the management that Is entirely in the hands of the chinese and until more experience Is gained by the cl inese in this character of work there is bound to be unnecessary delay and extravagant ex pend iture the laying of the foundation stone of the railway station at canton was of course the oc cislon for quite an interesting ceremony at which the governor of hong kong and many eminent cl inese officials and luro bean citizens of hong kong attend ed speeches were made which were calculated to cement the friendship between the eist E and the west and the viceroy of canton who it will be remembered was and is a keen supporter of closer relations between china and america pronounced la no uncertain oice his convictions thai a commingling of interests would be to the betterment of china and the 1 ci easing wealth of the world |