WESTERN CHINA 195 



These favours have usually been strongly opposed by the 

 provincial authorities, backed by the local gentry, and have 

 involved all parties in endless trouble and difficulty. With 

 one or two noteworthy exceptions these concessions have 

 never been seriously taken up. Vexatious restrictions, official 

 double-dealing, and the opposition of the local gentry have 

 generally proved too much for the foreign concessionaire, and 

 after a time the rights have been allowed to lapse. Western 

 China being so remotely situated from the coast has naturally 

 received less attention in these matters from foreigners, and I 

 am only familiar with one such concession which has been 

 developed by foreign capital. This is a coal mine, located a 

 few miles to the north of Chungking, with which the late 

 Archibald Little was concerned. This notable pioneer eventu- 

 ally disposed of his rights to a Syndicate, which almost immedi- 

 ately, and through no fault of its own, became involved in 

 difficulties with the local gentry. Ultimately realizing the 

 absolute impossibility of developing the purchase satisfactorily, 

 the Syndicate sold it back to the Chinese, which was exactly 

 what the gentry had determined should come to pass. 



In Vol. I Chapter VI mention is made of the mineral wealth 

 of the Red Basin, and it is unnecessary to enter more deeply 

 into the subject in so far as this particular region is concerned. 

 Although coal, iron, and salt abound throughout the Red 

 Basin the province of Szechuan is not otherwise rich in mineral 

 wealth. In the south-west corner of the province is found 

 an extension or, perhaps more correctly, a terminative out- 

 cropping of the rich metalliferous strata which is so important 

 a feature of Kweichou and Yunnan provinces to the south. 

 These regions supply Szechuan with copper and other metals. 

 Although quantity may be lacking, unquestionably a consider- 

 able variety of metals and minerals do occur in western 

 Szechuan, and, whatever wealth in this direction there may be, 

 it is practically as intact to-day as it was a thousand years ago. 

 Chinese antipathy to mine-development is well known, but it 

 is probable that official rapacity and peculation has had more 

 to do with the non-development of this industry than has mere 

 prejudice to disturbing the fabled dragon which slumbers be- 

 neath the earth's crust. In Vol. I Chapter XVIII it is told how 



