}
餐
Mr stubbs
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
SOUTH-WEST CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL
No. 1.
[March 18.]
SECTION 1.
428
Acting Consul Litton to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received March 18.)
(No. 2.) My Lord,
Tengyuch, February 4, 1905. IN accordance with instructions received from Sir Ernest Satow, arrangements have been made with the local Chinese officials, by which they agree to afford assistance on their side of the frontier to a British officer deputed to make a light railway survey from Bhamo to Tengyueh. It is understood that the cost of the survey is not to be borne by the Chinese, and that the mere permission to survey must not be taken to bind either Government as to future action in the matter of the railway.
In my conversations with the Taotai, I thought it best not at present to divulge that the question had been taken up by your Lordship, but said that various persons in Burmah were discussing the possibility of constructing this railway (which is perfectly true), and that it was proposed to send a surveyor to form an estimate of the cost.
I anticipate no difficulty, as the local people constantly go down to Burmah for trade or work, especially road-making, and their prejudices have thus been rubbed down. They are also perfectly aware of the profit which would accrue to them on the completion of such a railway as is now proposed.
I now have the honour to submit some suggestions for the guidance of the gentlemen who may be intrusted from home with the survey,
As I am in camp
have to trust to memory for heights and distances, but, as now given, they are approximately correct.
The distance from Bhamo to Tengyueh is 150 miles, of which by the new and direct road, 52 miles are in British territory. There is a good graded mule-road made by the Burmalı Public Works for these 52 miles, and for 17 miles further into China. This latter may probably be prolonged for 12 miles further during the spring. Most of the remainder of the road to Tengyueh is so bad that words suitable to an official report would fail to describe it.
The height of Bhamo, by the bank of the Irrawaddy, is only 380 feet; Tengyueh is 5,500 feet. The line would run along the Taping River, which joins the Irrawaddy just north of Bhamo, as far as a point near the junction of the Taping and Taying or Tengyueh River, about 100 miles from Bhamo. Then the railway would follow generally the line of the latter stream to Tengyuch.
The rise, though considerable, is fairly gradual and continuous the whole way. The first 25 miles are over a level plain; then the hills begin to close in on the Taping River, and from about mile 40 to mile 60 there will be some very heavy work in the Taping gorges. The frontier is passed at the Kalikha stream, 52 miles. After mile 60 the country begins to open out into the Valley of Manwyne, subject to the Shan Chiefs of Kangal and Nantien, both of whom are well disposed towards the scheme. From mile 63 to about mile 105 all is plain sailing along the edge of a level padi-plain. At about mile 105, near the boundary of Kangai and Nantien, the Nantien Gorge of the Taying River is reached. Here there will be some 5 to 10 miles of very difficult work, owing to the "rotten" condition of the hills which close down on both sides of the shifting sandy bed of the river. At 115 miles the Nantien Plain, which seems to present no special difficulty, is reached. At 130 miles a stream called the Lang Sung is passed. In the winter almost dry, in the rains this is a rushing torrent in a wide (150 yards) shifting sandy bed, and will cost a good sum to get over. At Hsiao Ho Ti, 4,500 feet, 138 miles, the present road goes up on to high downs by rather a stiff ascent, which the line would have to avoid, probably keeping near the Taying stream to Tengyueh.
The conditions prevailing in the Taping Valley during the rains are so difficult and so different from the dry weather, that it would probably be necessary for a estimate. surveyor to see the country during the rains before he could form a reliable
[1899 --1]