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Inclosure 13 in No. 1.
Government of Burmah to Government of India.
Rangoon, January 30, 1901. IN compliance with the orders contained in paragraph 3 of your letter, dated the 19th September, 1900, I am directed to submit a copy of a Report by Mr. Hertz, C.I.E., District Superintendent of Police, Myitkyina, with map in original, regarding the description of the Burmah-Chinese boundary north of the most northern boundary cairn, Mr. Hertz' Report on the boundary, to which he refers in this Report, was submitted with Mr. Gates' letter, dated the 3rd May, 1900.*
2. I am to say that the Lieutenant-Governor agrees with Mr. Hertz that it would prevent future misunderstanding if the boundary north of the northernmost cairn were declared to be the watershed of all streams that drain into the N'Maikha from the east.
Inclosure 14 in No. 1.
District Superintendent of Police, Myitkyina, to Deputy Commissioner.
Myitkyina, December 21, 1900. IN compliance with the instructions contained in the Confidential forwarded papers I have the honour to submit the following Report
Description of the Burmah-China Boundary north of the most northerly Boundary Cairn.
The northernmost boundary cairn was built under the joint supervision of British and Chinese officers in the 1897-98 season, and is situated at latitude 25° 33′ on a range of hills called Manaung-Bum, which forms the southern portion of the eastern watershed of the N'Maikha. North of the cairn the boundary continues along the eastern watershed of the N'Maikha, or, in other words, the watershed of the streams which drain into the N'Maikha from the east. Its general direction is north-east up to latitude 26° longitude 98° 45', near which point the eastern watershed of the N'Maikha connects with the Salween watershed. Between the northernmost boundary cairn and this point the hill range which forms the eastern N'Maikha watershed is drained on the west by streams flowing into the Shingaw Kha, Tammu Kha, Chipwi Kha, and Ngaw-chaung Kha (tributaries of the N'Maikha), and on the east by streams flowing into the Lawnma Tanza Khas (tributaries of the Taping, the Chinese Tahaw), and streams further north flowing into the Shweli (the Chinese Lung Chiang) through its tributaries in the Tintang (or Tinhtang), Mienkawng (or Minkwang), Tatang (or Tahtang), and Sanjang (or Sanchiang) valleys.
Further north the eastern watershed of the N'Maikha connects with the western watershed of the Salween.
With the materials at my command I do not think I can give any fuller description than is contained in the above Report and "Report on the Boundary" submitted previously. A skeleton map, similar to the one submitted before, is forwarded with this Report. The boundary line north of the most northerly cairn is marked by a red line, and some additions in red ink have been made by me on the map to illustrate the Report more fully.
In conclusion, I would respectfully suggest that, as the Chinese are a people who seemingly do not recognize latitudes and longitudes, and frequently will not identify hills and lesser streams by the names known to us, it would be convenient, and leave no excuse for misunderstanding on their part, if the boundary north of the most northerly cairn be described as the watershed of all streams that drain into the N'Maikha from the east.
Inclosure 15 in No. 1.
Sir E. Satow to Government of India.
Peking, November 28, 1900.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch of the 14th June last, received the 24th instant, inclosing copy of a Secret despatch to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for India, regarding the exploration conducted during the past season up the valley of the N'Maikha and the boundary between Burmah and China in that region.
In paragraph 4 of the Secret despatch a recommendation is made that the Tsung-li Yamên should be pressed to execute at an early date a formal Agreement recognizing as the frontier between Burmah and China on the east of the Irrawaddy, from the demarcated frontier northwards, the watershed of the streams which drain off into the N'Maikha from the east.
No instructions on this point have as yet reached this Legation, your Lordship's Secret despatch having arrived in London after communication with Peking was cut off. The only recent mention of the boundary question was in Lord Salisbury's telegram No. 120 of the 9th October, approving the proposal contained in Sir Claude MacDonald's telegram No. 89 of the 31st May, which was repeated to your Lordship.
The occupation of Peking by the allied forces and the flight of the Government have given rise to a situation in which it seems difficult to pursue the negotiation about the boundary for the moment. The only Representatives here of the Emperor of China are the two Plenipotentiaries, Prince Ching and the Viceroy Li Hung Chang, who have been appointed to negotiate with the Representatives of the Plenipotentiaries for a resumption of amicable relations.
As soon as this much-to-be-desired event takes place, and the Chinese Government is established here, I shall, in the absence of instructions to the contrary, proceed to act upon the suggestion contained in your Lordship's Secret despatch.
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See Inclosure 10 in Secret despatch to the Secretary of State for India, dated June 14, 1900,
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