1862.] Literary Intelligence, Sfc. . 2S9 



These Mussalman Chinese are inclined to be aggressive towards 

 Burinah. I have private information of a message they sent to this 

 Court, requesting to be allowed to come to trade by the Bamo road. 

 Their request was accompanied with a threat. Their adopted faith 

 has very likely infused into them a fighting spirit. They are masters 

 of western Yunan, it is certain ; and hold all the doors of communica- 

 tion between China and Burrnah. 



I am delighted to find Colonel Sarel's account of his trip up the 

 Yang-Tse Kiang in the No. of the Society's Journal just received. 

 Yunan then imports cotton from both sides, and exports minerals. Its 

 trade with Burrnah if re-opened will be in the hands of the Panjais or 

 Mussalman Chinese, not as of old in the hands of the orthodox Chi- 

 nese. As far as I know, the Government here sent a pacifying reply 

 to the Panjais from Yunan, and ordered the official at Bamo to allow 

 them to come, but without arms, and to watch with vigilance their 

 numbers, and doings. 



I dream of the removal of the capital (query whether as a capital) 

 back to Ava, of a beautiful pleasant suburb at Sagain with a steam 

 ferry between : Ava to be the depot of the China trade via Theinnee ; 

 having ready communication, with Tonghoo ; and a half way station 

 or depot, for the Bamo China trade which used to bring into the 

 king's coffers five lakhs a year ! Now of course not a rupee is col- 

 lected at Bamo from the China trade. 



You cannot imagine how difficult it is, to get information and yet 

 avoid exciting suspicion here. I hope to get, however, correct and 

 full particulars of the present and past state of the Bamo and China 

 route ; if I fail in getting up there myself. 



You are no doubt well aware of what is going on in Cochin China, 

 and read the signs of General Bonard's (" the French Mouravieff,") 

 doings. The Cambodia, as far as I can learn here, and I trust my in- 

 formation, is navigable for large boats up to Kiang Tsen, latitude 

 20° 50' from thence to just below Kiang Hung Ogee in latitude 22°, 

 it is obstructed by rocks and rapids, over which small boats only can 

 he dragged. Above this again, the river is open and clear. 



Kiang Hunggyee is in Burman territory. Kiang Tsen, as far as I 

 have ascertained, is Siamese. That is, the Shan inhabitants are tri- 

 butary to Ava and Bankok respectively. So you see how near our 



2 p 2 



