416 The Question of British Trade with Western China. [No. 4 



far beyond what it is possible to suppose can be made reasonably 

 devoted to the purpose. The ascent once accomplished, however an 

 undulating and hilly tract of country permits of the easy extension 

 of the road to Theinnee. From Theinnee it is, I believe, an almost 

 uninterrupted plain to the very central point of Yunan city. Other 

 routes are also open, viz., straight to Tali without passing through 

 Yunchan— or again through Manyo to Maingmo and on by the farther 

 portion of the route to be next spoken of. 



5. From Eangoon to the Burmese capital, the Irrawaddy river is 

 known to be navigable and to be a good channel for steamer traffic. 

 No steamer has, however, ascended beyond the capital further than 

 Tsingoo, above wdiich commences the lowest of the three denies through 

 which the great river passes in the upper half of its course, and it 

 has been generally regarded as closed to steam traffic beyond that 

 point. On my way up and down the river last year, I was naturally 

 led to note most carefully everything that I could observe, bearing on 

 this question, and took great pains in making such a sketch plan or 

 survey as would serve as a guide to the river for intending navigators. 

 All the obstacles, narrows, rocks, &c, in the way of safety to steam 

 traffic, were there carefully noted, and I cannot do better here than 

 copy the general observations I then made on this portion of the 

 Irrawaddy. 



" The chief characteristics of the Irrawaddy above the capital, are 

 the three denies, each of which has distinct features of its own. Above 

 and below them, the river maintains much the same character as 

 between Eangoon and Ava. In these open parts it may be laid down as 

 a general rule, that navigation meets with difficulties in proportion to the 

 breadth of the river. In the long reaches below Tagoung and in shorter 

 portions equally well defined, where the breadth scarcely varies, and the 

 banks are almost parallel, the channel may be taken anywhere between 

 them. Where, however, the river spreads out into a varying expanse 

 of stream, sandbank and island, the current sometimes fierce and to be 

 overcome with difficulty, at other times scarcely moving ; here several 

 fathoms deep, there but a few feet or even inches, the relative positions of 

 the deep and shallow being changed, often entirely reversed in a season, 

 the navigation is intricate and difficult, sometimes even for the native 

 boatmen. Such are the broad portions of the river near Powa, from 

 Moale to Khyannyat— from Tongne to below Thigaim— from Thigaim 



