BY TRAIN TO HONG KONG.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 170, 19 June 1936, Page 17

BY TRAIN TO HONG KONG.

LAST LINK FROM CALAIS. AN 18-DAY JOURNEY. A correspondent of tlie London Times writes : The announcement that tlie last rail of. the Hankow-Canton or HuKwang line lias been laid converts a protracted and fitful dream into a reality of the near future and opens up a new vista of travel. All lieiug well one will he able by the end of this year to go from Calais to Hong Kong by train —a journey of six dis* tinet stages and approximately 18 days. Five of tlie 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 Siberia, to Mnnehuli, oil tlie Manchukuo border, eight days; the third carries on, via Harbin and Mukden, to the Chinese frontier at Shankaikwan, one day; the fourth brings one ill another day to Pekin; the fifth is along the Pekin-Hankoiv line, 36 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 tlie existing Canton-Kow-loon railway, which may or may not he linked with the Hankow-Canton line, will carry one to the mainland side of Hong Kong’s wonderful harbour, a fitting end to a journey ot varied scenery.

SANDSTONE HILLS. Between tlie Yangtze and Chenlisien the scenery is interesting rather than pictureseque. South of that town, however, it alters suddenly, exchanging hillocks of red sandstone, which have a somewhat monotonous effect, for finely formed mountains. Farther south still these mountains become impressive. Tlie cost of the whole line between Cliuchow, where it continues the Changsha section, to Sliiuchow, where it meets the Kwangtung section—a distance of 456 kilometres (83 rails a kilometre) —is financed by a- loan or £1,500,000 secured on the British portion of the Boxer indemnity, which was remitted by Act of Parliament some venrs ago. Tlie construction or tlie line required a coolie force of 100,000 nearly half of whom came from north of the Yangtze.