486 



Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 



[No. -4, 



A memorandum by Dr. Williams on the question of British Trade 

 with Western China via Burmah was then read by the Secretary : — 



Dr. Williams first touches upon the political state of the countries 

 between the Bay of Bengal and Central China, and shows that 

 the feelings of the Burmese Government with regard to the promotion 

 of British enterprise had undergone a favourable change. After 

 dealing with the condition of the Karen and Shan States, he explaiDs 

 the political position of the province of Yunan, where the rebel 

 Government of the Pansee, or Chinese Mussulmans is now predominant; 

 and he states that it appears to be the wish of that government to 

 facilitate communication with the West. The Singpho or Kahkyan 

 tribes stretching from North Assam round the North of Burmah to 

 Western China have of late assumed practical independence with 

 regard to their Burmese Suzerain, but also appear to be quite prepared 

 to give a passage to traffic, on certain conditions of black mail. 



The next subject is the physical character of the district, viewed 

 with reference to the selection of a line of route for trade. The 

 Salween is not navigable, and the formation of a road from Showgyeen 

 to that river and along its valley to Mantungye, or across the hills to 

 the Cambodia river, is rendered impassable by the steepness of the 

 mountain passes which would have to be traversed. The route from 

 Mandalay to Theinnee also contains one difficult and almost impossible 

 ascent, although, this once overcome, there is an uninterrupted plain 

 to the centre of Yunan. The ascent of the Irrawaddy above the 

 capital is practicable to Bamo, for steam navigation, but the defile 

 above Bamo would form an insuperable obstacle to further progress. 

 East of Bamo, however, the range of hills, though not fully explored, 

 appears to present fewer difficulties than in any other direction ; and 

 when once crossed, there is no obstacle to the construction of any 

 kind of road or railroad. This, therefore, is the route which Dr. 

 Williams recommends. 



He- then proceeds to enumerate the commercial advantages to be 

 expected from this communication. Coal crops out in several places 

 near the Upper Irrawaddy, and there are large deposits of magnetic 

 oxide of iron, producing steel of first rate quality. The lead ore in one 

 of the mountains is exceedingly rich in silver. English manufactures of 

 the most inferior kind find a good market in Upper Burmah and among 

 the Shans j and the trade might, with better roads, be indefinitely 



