SOUTH-WEST CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
1 10130 [February 13.]
shemox 2 MAR 041
Sir,
No. 1.
India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received February 13.)
India Office, February 12, 1904.
151
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Brodrick to forward, for the information of the Marquess of Lansdowne, copy of a letter from Mr. Glass, of the Peking Syndicate, and of the letter from Colonel Manifold referred to therein,* on the subject of railway development in the basin of the Yang-tsze River. I am also directed to forward copy of a despatch which has been addressed to the Government of India on the subject of Colonel Manifold's recommendations as to the construction of mule roads in Yunnan, and also a copy of an earlier despatch, dated the 18th December, 1903, on the subject of a railway survey of the country between the Salween and the Mekong.
It will be seen that Mr. Brodrick attaches importance to the suggestion made by Colonel Manifold for the construction of mule roads for the purposes of the present trade between Burmah and Yünuan, and he would suggest, for Lord Lansdowne's consideration, that a copy of Colonel Manifold's Memorandum should be sent to Mr. Consul Litton for his information, with copies of the despatches to the Government of India inclosed herewith.
I have, &c. (Signed)
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Mr. Glass to Sir A. Godley.
A. GODLEY.
110, Cannon Street, London, E.C.,
December 16, 1903.
My dear Sir Arthur Godley,
COLONEL MANIFOLD asked me to send you a copy of a letter he wrote to Mr. Ritchie on the subject of railways in Szechuan and the attitude of the French in respect to them.
A loan was recently put out in Paris for the construction of the Chengting-Taiyuan-fu Railway, and from the map which accompanied it, I see that the intention is to carry the line from Taiyuan down the valley of the Fen River, past Tungkwan, described by Colonel Mark Bell as the Gate of Central Asia, to Sian-fu, the capital of Shensi. It would seem probable that the Russians--though Chenting-Taiyuan Railway is a Russian line--intend approaching Szechuan from Sian-fu, and if so there will be the French from Yüunan and the Russians from Sian-fu endeavouring to get control in Szechuan and keep out British trade. Manifold's suggestion that British railways should be started in Szechuan--that is, say, a local line from Chentu to Chingking on the Yang-tsze--seems to me one that early action should be taken on.
Believe, &c. (Signed) J. H. GLASS.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Mr. Brodrick to the Government of India.
My Lord,
India Office, February 12, 1904.
IN continuation of my despatch dated the 18th December, 1903, on the subject of the survey of the country between the Salween and the Mekong, I forward, for the information of your Excellency's Government, copy of a Memorandum by Lieutenant-Colonel C. C. Manifold,* discussing the development by railways of the Szechuan basin, and the steps which can be taken in that province, and in Yüunan, to prevent British enterprise being forestalled by the action of other countries.
* For inclosure, see Colonel Manifold's Report, printed separately.