186 Dr. Heifer's Fourth Report [No. 98. 



able price, vessels that would arrive to carry away that produce 

 have nothing to bring, and consequently their profits would be 

 doubtful. Under such circumstances, trade will only be confined 

 to Asiatics, who are much better fitted to provide the natives 

 with the little commodities they are in want of from foreign 

 parts. 



Should the provinces become a resort of civilized men, whose 

 wants are more numerous, and with whom commodities are be- 

 come by force of habit necessities, then commerce will spring- 

 up, and the resources of the country, the spontaneous produc- 

 tions of nature, as well as the produce of the cultivated soil, will 

 be called forth in a short time. 



The Tenasserim Provinces are well situated to become a com- 

 mercial emporium ; they could be made the intermediate link, 

 uniting the Chinese world with India and Europe. 



An overland communication between China and the British 

 Indian possessions has long time been deemed very desirable. 

 From two points there is a possibility of accomplishing it, 

 either by way of Assam, or by way of Tenasserim. Though 

 Assam is much nearer to the Chinese dependencies, yet the 

 nature of the country to be traversed seems to throw such dif- 

 ficulties in the way, that it is not thought of at present. Maul- 

 main is much more distant from China Proper, but there are, 

 as far as is known, no great natural difficulties to overcome, ta 

 establish a commercial road at least with Chinese Yunan, the 

 southernmost province. The Chinese themselves seem to be de- 

 sirous that it were accomplished, and the fact that a Chinese 

 caravan was actually on the road to Maulmain, corroborates 

 this opinion. 



The difficulties are only of a political nature, and are to be 

 sought for in the jealousy of the Burmese and Siamese govern- 

 ments, and the apprehensions of the Shan states, to the north 

 of Amherst Province. Should the relations with Burmah be 

 placed on a solid footing, there is no doubt that an overland 

 trade with China and the British Indian possessions would spring 

 up. Chinese caravans come annually to Burmah, and within 

 a short distance of the northern parts of Tenasserim. 



The articles most in demand, would be European and Indian 



