1862.] the Isthmus of Krau. 357 



9th. All the trade hetween Maulmein and the Straits, for which 

 there is no better mode of carriage than junks and kattoos, and 

 all the tin found on both sides of the Pakchan, in the Lenya river, 

 and indeed all along the coast up to Yeh, and which only requires 

 capital and labour to develop to any extent, would be picked up at 

 Krau, while the labour for the tin mines of the Pakchan, and possibly 

 for the coal mines of Mergui, could be imported direct from China. 

 All the 1^ millions of the Bankok trade and that of the Malayan 

 Peninsula, on the eastern and western side, would be intercepted 

 at Tayoung and Krau, also all adjuncts, which none of the present 

 lines of steamers obtain, but which would go far to make them 

 pay. Between Maulmein and Krau, where the coast is profusely 

 wooded, wood-fuel might be used to increase profits, or decrease 

 expenses, should it take any time to develop the trade carried 

 on between Maulmein and Singapore. The cost of burning wood 

 on this coast, as compared with that of coal, is as 1 to 10, taking 

 the wood as 10 lis. per 1000 billets, and coal at 25 Bs. 4 ans. per ton, and 

 assuming that 250 billets 4 feet long, by 4 inches diameter, equal 

 one hour's steam, or one ton of coal. 



18. It would answer no useful purpose, to go into all the 

 figures necessary to establish even an approximate idea of the greater 

 profit that would be assured to commerce and to Steam Companies, 

 by. adopting the new lines herein proposed instead of the present 

 lines. It was only necessary to take three items, fuel, establish- 

 ment, and time of actual running steamers, to prove our position, 

 and if we can show, that by the saving of the two first of these items, 

 we can establish communication across the Isthmus of Krau, 

 which shall also beat all present lines in point of the third, and most 

 valuable item, time, we think it unnecessary to examine into the 

 contingent saving which, to any one who will give intelligent 

 consideration to them, will manifestly appear enormous. 



19. In the 3rd clause of the 1 7th para, we have shown the 

 saving in fuel and establishment, of running steamers, to be 5 lakhs 

 per annum, representing a capital of one million sterling. Can the 

 communication by Krau be established within this sum ? If so, all 

 the contingent .savings and gain in time, go to the profit of trade, 

 as well as any difference between the cost of the said communication, 

 and the keeping of it up. Our consideration of the subject of the 



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