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



The following information regarding some of the products of Wes- 

 tern China was given me by the Chinese merchants at Bainmo : 



Silk.— Two kinds are recognised, Koezo from a district of that 

 name, and Sechuen from the province so called. Price of Sechuen 

 silk, 20 and 25 tickals the bundle of 165 tick ; occasionally, however 

 it rises to 40 tickals. Koezo silk from 15 to 30 tickals the bundle. 

 These are prices estimated from the old trade. Not an ounce of silk 

 is sold at present at Bammo. The price of Sechuen at the capital is 

 now from 30 to 35 tickals the bundle. 



Very little silk is produced in Yunan. Nine bales make a bundle. 

 They are packed first in paper, then oiled paper, then cotton cloth, 

 and finally in case of transport to Burmah, in baskets lined with 

 bamboo leaves, (the same as Kamsuks are made of,) and coarse carpets 

 are thrown over the load of each pack animal. 



The Chinese gave me the idea, that the road once open, this article 

 can be supplied in unlimited quantity. 



Tea. — The only kinds apparently known in the market at Bammo 

 are the flat discs of China tea and the balls of Shan tea. 



The discs weigh 20 tickals each ; seven piled together make a packet 

 which used to sell at li tickal and 2 tick. At present no tea is 

 found at Bammo, except the Shan balls. 



Western Yunan seems to produce little of this article. To the 

 north and south, however, I was informed it is grown in abundance. 

 Poour, a city of Yunan, about fifteen days south-east of Tali, produces 

 excellent tea, and some Chinese informed me that from that district 

 came the tea specially devoted to the Emperor's use. Others, however, 

 contended that Sechuen, not Yunan, produced this celebrated tea. 

 All agreed that Sechuen produces good tea and more abundantly 

 than Yunan. 



Copper. — In solid ingots or discs, and in the form of pots. The 

 latter is the best, and used to sell at from 180 to 250 tick the 100 viss. 

 The discs used to sell at from 100 to 180 tick. This is abundantly 

 produced in Yunan. 



Gold. — In leaf and in small ingots. Always touched when dealt 

 in. The leaf, more easily and exactly estimated, averages 19 tickals 

 of silver, the tickal of pure gold. It varies, however, to from 10 to 20 

 tickals. The ingots are less in value, owing to the less amount of 

 certainty in the estimation of their quality, and are generally sold at 8 

 annas less than the leaf per tickal of estimated pure gold. 



