160 REPORT — 1873. 



Many memorials have "been sent during past yeais to the Home Government to 

 urge tlie undertaking of the first of these for the benefit of trade ; but I am not 

 aware that, important as the merchants liave deemed it, the matter has ever been 

 pressed on the Government by any Member of Parliament in the House of Com- 

 mons, and I doubt very much such a line proving remunerative. Yunnan, so 

 far from being, as described by some of the memorialists, both populous and pro- 

 ductive, has been reduced to a desert waste by the civil war and the destruction 

 of the Mahomedans, and for long years to come there can be little hope of com- 

 mercial activity. It can scarcely be expected, therefore, that either the Imperial 

 or the Indian Government will imdertake to make such a railroad themselves, or 

 to guarantee the interest for others. A« regards the Government of India, it has 

 always held, I think, of late years that the Indian revenue could not justly be 

 charged with the cost of an enterprise which, however successful, could only 

 benefit English trade, and very indirectly, if at all, Burmah. If any guarantee is 

 necessary, therefore, it seems clear it must come from the Imperial and not from 

 the Indian Government. There is one other consideration : recent news show that 

 the French in Cochin China have by no means given up the hope of drawing. any 

 trade to bo developed with the south-west of China by a much more direct and 

 river-route to a port in the Gulf which they have recently secured for their own 

 benefit. Although the French have not usually proved formidable rivals in Eastern 

 trade, it is possible that, with such advantage of geographical situation, water- 

 carriage, and proximity, they might seriously check any development of trade in a 

 less favoured course. 



Before concluding I must give you some information as to the papers which are 

 likely to occupy your attention during this session. 



Dr. J. McCosh will read a paper on an overland communication between India 

 and China, a subject which he is qualified to pronounce an opinion upon, having 

 made it his study for upwards of thirtj^ years. As long ago as 1836, whilst 

 serving in Assam, he furnished the Government with an official report, in which 

 he pointed out the facility of connecting India and China by a grand trimk road ; 

 and he read a paper on the same subject before the Royal Geographical Society 

 in 1860. He advocates the Munnipore route. 



Mr. Ney Elias contributes a paper " On Trade-Routes through Mongolia and 

 Zungaria." He gained the Royal Medal of this year from the Royal Geographical 

 Society for his adventurous journey in 1872, as a private traveller, over the countries 

 described in his paper, and is well known as an accomplished traveller, taking 

 observations for laying down his route with rare completeness. He states in his 

 paper that the only trade-route now open between Central Asia and Western China 

 is that through Mongolia. 



Mr. J. Thomson will read a paper on the Yang-tsze as an artery of communi- 

 cation. Mr. Thomson has been long before the public as a successful traveller and 

 accomplished photographer of the scenery of distant countries. Some years ago he 

 visited the marvellous ruins of temples and cities in Cambodia, and published a 

 magnificent work on the subject, illustrated by photographs. Since then he has 

 visited China and Formosa, and is publishing, in parts, a work of a similar cha- 

 racter to his former one on Cambodia. 



I believe Mr. Thomson will bring a set of photographs for exhibition. 



Baron Eichthofen will read a paper " On the Distribution of Coal in China." 



He will perhaps read a second paper on the general subject of his travels. He 

 is one of the most accomplished of Chinese travellers, and has traversed pro- 

 bably the largest extent of country. His published Report to the Committee of 

 the Shangai Chamber of Commerce on his Explorations in the Provinces of Chili, 

 Shansi, Shensi, and Sz'chuen is fidl of the most interesting information regarding 

 the physical geograph}-, resources, and products of the interior of China. He 

 is present at the Meeting, one of the distinguished foreign savcms invited by the 

 town and the Association. 



Capt. J. E. Davis will read a paper on the results so far of the voyage of the 

 ' Challenger.' Capt. Davis was a member of Ross's great expedition towards the 

 South Pole, and by his position in the Hydrographical or Scientific branch of the 

 Admiralty is well qualified to deal with such' a subject. The public have been 



