CALAIS TO HONG KONG

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 July 1936, Page 12

CALAIS TO HONG KONG

RAILWAY COMPLETED. The announcement that the last rail of the Hankow-Canton or Hu-Kwang line has been laid converts a protracted and fitful dream into a reality of tho near future and opens up a new vista pf travel, yvrites a correspondent of flThe Times.” All being well one will be able by the end of this year to go from Calais to Hong Kong by train —a journey of six distinct stages and- approximately 18 days. Five of the stages are already in constant use. The first lies between Calais and the Russian frontier at Nigoreloje, via Berlin, three days; the second and longest stretches, via Moscow, -across Liberia to Manchuli, on the Manchukuo border, eight days; tho third’'carries' o'ii.'via'Har'bin and Mukdeii, tCf the Chinese frontier at Shanhaikwan, one day; the fourth brings one in another day to Pekin; the fifth is along the Pekin-Hankow line, 3j6 hours; the sixth and new stage, occupying, say two days, will bring one from Wuchang, opposite Hankow, to Changsha (between which points a line has been in operation for many years), and from there to Canton, whence the existing Canton■Kowlr.r:’. railway, whc.ih may or may j.... i with the Hankow-Canton line, will carry one to the mainland side of Honk Kong’s wonderful harbour, a fitting end to a journey of varied scenery.

Between the Yangtze and Chenhsien the scenery is interesting rather than pictur&sque. South of that town, it alters suddenly, exchangeing hillocks of red sandstone, which -have .1 somewhat monotonous effect; for finely formed mountains. Farther south Still these mountains become impressivp. . - ■ Among many features will be the bridge over the Lei River. This bridge, which last summer was still under construction but by now probably is complete, has a total span_fr.om abutment ~to abutment of-approximately 1280 ft.—four spans of 200 ft. and eight o£-60ft. it is suppprted-liL addition to the abutments by 11 piers of from 10 to 22 metres in height; comprising- 851 concrete and 600 Oregon pine piles. Its superstructure was all tyrOught by boat from Chuchow, and most, if not all, of it was placed in position by man-power alone. The cost of the bridge was estimated at 1,300,000 dollars. .. _ ....

Tho cost of the whole line between Chuchow, where it continues the Changslm. section, to Shiuchow, where it"me"ets the "kwangtung section—a distance of 456 kilometres (S 3 rails a -kilometre) is financed by a loan of 1,560,000 dollars secured on the British portion of the Boxer indemnity, which was remitted by Act of Parliament some years ago. The construction of the line requires a coolie force of 100,000, nearly half of whom came from north of the Yangtze. The history of the line dates back to 1904,- when a contract for its construction was given to the AmericanChina Development Company. Difficulties arose and’ construction ceased, but .was.’resumed after the conclusion in 1911 of file Hu-Kwang loan. Then, however, came the anti-Manchu revolution, -and-construction ceaseTl'aigaiii. leaving a-gap between a riorthAfn anil a-southern section, the-gap whichJias now-been., filled. '