158 REPOKT— 1873. 



for the markets once monopolized by tlie Russians, we may seek in vain to open 

 them to general trade at any later period. It is difficult to calculate how much we 

 should lose ; for the distance from the Indus to Vernoje and Kopal, two of the most 

 recent markets of Central Asia founded bj' the Russians, is about one third of tliat 

 from these places to the gi-eat fair of the Volga. Commercially this is of great 

 importance, as these towns will become the centres whence the Tartar merchants 

 will send forth ,their agents to disperse the goods among all the Kirghis of the 

 Steppes. From these points they wiU also go to the Mongolian tribes, on the north 

 of the Gobi ; and this region, Mr. Atkinson assures us, contains a vast population. He 

 even anticipates that, should such a trade be established, the merchandise mil find 

 its way through the country of the Kalkas into Davuaria, and to the regions beyond 

 the Selenga and the sources of the Amoor, where it may advantageously compete 

 with goods brought up the latter river ; nor will the Siberians fail to avail them- 

 selves of its advantages. Whenever there shall be fairs on the Indus or beyond 

 the passes of the Himalayas on the borders of Sikkim or Thibet, the Kirghis wiU 

 send into India vast numbers of good horses annually. Silver and gold, the same 

 traveller saj's, is pleutifid in their countrj', and their other resources will in all pro- 

 bability be rapidly developed. The best mode of opening such a trade with Central 

 Asia beyond question will be by fairs, or great marts, similar to Kiachta on the 

 frontier between China and Russia, Irkutzk and Urga, and more recently at Irbit 

 by the Russians. On this point we have also Mr. Atkinson's very decided opinion. 

 He says, speaking of such fairs, " This I deem preferable to the English plan of 

 consigning goods to agents either in Yarkand, Kokhan, or Tarshkend. Once these 

 fairs are established, the Tartar and other merchants will attend and purchase 

 the necessary articles for the people among whom they vend their wares. These 

 men are thoroughly acquainted with the tribes and know all their wants. Tliey are 

 industrious and energetic in their calling, travelling over thousands of miles. They 

 know every part of the country, and where to find the tribes in all seasons of the 

 year ; and it is by them that Russia distributes her merchandise over Central Asia. 

 Wherever trade can be carried on at a profit, experience has shown that all natural 

 obstacles have been sunnounted by these hardy sons of the Steppe. It is well to 

 have such commercial agents and distributors as allies and customers, whereas any 

 attempt to locate English agents in their midst would create jealousy and excite 

 fears lest thej' should lose their legitimate profits. Far greater dangers are encoun- 

 tered by caravans which travel from Kulja into the interior provinces of China than 

 they will meet with between Yarkand, Kashgar, and the Indus." All that is re- 

 quired is to bring the goods from the plains of India through the passes to the 

 border ; and steps to this end are being actively taken in more than one direction. 

 In 1850 Lord Dalhousie sanctioned the commencement of a road, which, leaving 

 the plains in the neighbourhood of Ivalka, 36 miles from Umballah, should ascend 

 to Simla and thence towards Thibet, through the temperate valley of the Sut- 

 ledge, to Shipki on the Thibetan border. In the next five years this Hindostan 

 and Thibet road, which was to unite India with Central Asia, had made such 

 progress, that 115 miles of six-feet road had been completed ; and it was anti- 

 cipated that by the following spring but 25 miles would remain of unfinished 

 v/ork between Simla and China, and 60 between Simla and the frontiers of 

 C!hina._ I regret to state that later accounts show the work to have been stopped; 

 and this seems to be matter for deep regret, both on account of the large unproductive 

 expenditure incurred for a work stopped short of completion, and the urgent necessity 

 there is for secure access to the trans-Himalayan regions, while there is yet room 

 for competition with Russian trade and influence. One of the great questions of 

 the hoiir is, how best and most expeditiously to open up practicable roads from 

 the plains of India to Central Asia, on the west to Turkestan, and eastwards to 

 the borders of Thibet, and perhaps by British Burmah across the Shan States to the 

 western provinces of China. But access to the markets of Central Asia is by far the 

 most urgent and important ; for, as I will presently show, the southern route through 

 Burmah, were all difficulties overcome (and they are neither few nor slight), pro- 

 mises little in comparison vrith a more direct outlet for the Assam teas, and an 

 interchange of goods and produce with the popidations of Thibet, Tm-kestan, and 

 Central Asia generally. Across the Himalayan barrier it appears there is a choice 



