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



the Yanan Chinese who can afford to buy it. Blue and black are the 

 favourite colours. Some fine broad-cloth I had purchased at Eangoon 

 at\7j'-Es. the yard, would, at no time, fetch that price in Tunan 

 I was told. The home-made cloth was described to me as very 

 thick, and used to sell at from 8 to 6 tickals the cubit in Tunan. 

 That which came from Canton overland and from the interior 

 (Eussian ?) they describe as thinner, like the cloth I had bought at 15 

 shillings a yard at Eangoon, and worth 1-8 or 2 tickals a cubit. There 

 is however no doubt, I imagine, that cloth can be brought from 

 England to Momien, via the Irrawaddy, at a cheaper rate than via 

 Canton. Cotton twist and sewing thread, cutlery, buttons, mechanics' 

 tools, locks and sewing needles, were also mentioned to me as things 

 wanted for sale in Yunan. 



The prices of all these articles have hitherto depended on those of 

 Eangoon or Mandelay. It appears that British goods have never 

 been, to any extent, imported into Yunan, via Bammo. 



In explanation of the above prices, I should mention that a tickal 

 weight is the 28th of an English pound, and a tickal of silver worth 

 just li Eupee or half a crown. A viss is 100 tickals or exactly 

 lbs. 3.652. 



IV. — Conclusion". 



From the statements brought forward under the preceding heads, 

 and especially those under' para. 2nd or that of the Physical Geogra- 

 phy of the country to be traversed by the proposed line— and 

 not omitting from consideration the new political position of Upper 

 Burmah in reference to us, as well as the direction which any future 

 political changes would certainly take — what then is the best route 

 for European enterprise to avail itself of, in its endeavour to create a 

 China trade through Burmah ? 



Granting that the object to be sought is the most feasible way 

 of reaching commercially the products and the markets of western 

 China, especially Yunan, Sechuen and Queicho, it should first be 

 ascertained what conditions should determine the plan to be adopted, 

 in order to obtain that object. 



Besides the obvious ones of the least political difficulties and the 

 greatest commercial advantages, are there not others that have not 

 perhaps hitherto been sufficiently thought of? viz, 1st, The holding in 



