38 COGGIN BROWN : MINES & MINERAL RESOURCES OF YUNNAN. 



In 1899 the first surveys were made and In spite of the delay 

 caused by the momentous events of 1900, the work was blowly 

 pushed on. In January 1902 the bridge across the Nam-hai between 

 Lao-kai and Ho-kou was completed. From September 1903 to 

 January 1904. Lantenois, Director of the Mining Service of Tong- 

 king, studied the mines and mineral deposits between the frontier 

 and Yunnan Fu and helped in the final decision on the exact route 

 to be followed. In the fever-striken Nam-ti valley, great trouble 

 was caused by malaria which carried oft' a large proportion of tho total 

 labour force employed on this section. In spite of difficulties of 

 every kind the line was opened to through traffic to Yunnan Fu 

 in the summer of 1910. 



The Yunnan Company's scheme. — How far the anticipations of 

 the French diplomatists have been justified is seen from the fact 

 that the railhead of the Burma Railways is still at Lashio. In 

 the autumn of 1908 the " Yunnan Company, Limited," sent an 

 expedition into Yunnan to explore the country, and to reconnoitre 

 for a railway line to connect Kun-lon on the Burmese border with 

 some point on the Upper Yangtze. This expedition was com- 

 manded by Major Da vies, and included amongst others the skilled 

 geographer Lieutenant Watts-Jones, who later on lost his life in 

 the Boxer rebellion. The results of this survey may be stated 

 in the words of Major Da vies : " The total distance from K union 

 to the Yangtze is 1,000 miles. The greater part of the line would 

 traverse exceedingly difficult country, necessitating in places a 

 grade as steep as 1 in 25 and possibly a few short lengths 

 of rack. The total cost of a metre gauge line would be perhaps 

 £15,000,000 to £20,000,000 and the time required for con- 

 struction would be at least ten years. Though there are great 

 possibilities of future trade the province of Yunnan is, owing to 

 bad communications, at present so little developed that the rail- 

 way cannot be made as an immediately paying commercial specula- 

 tion." A recent writer has remarked, " As a purely commercial 

 scheme this railway may be considered as a quixotic venture. It 

 may rather, perhaps, be looked on as a grand Imperial project 

 that, possibly, may be influenced by wide-reaching political issues." 

 The Brahmo-Teng-yiXeh and Teng-yueh-Ta-li Fu routes.— I do not 

 propose to enter into a discussion on the relative merits of the 

 Kuii-lon-Yuii Chou-Ta-li Fu route and the Bhamo-Teng-yueh-Ta-li 

 Fu routes here, but I should like to take this opportunity of stating 



