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the borderland north of latitude 26° 30' before they would come to terms in the matter of the recognition of the watershed as the Burmab-Yunnan frontier-line right up to Thibet.
Ting Chibt'ai, in his despatch, does not express himself as averse to a perpetual lease after the precedent of the Naniwan assigned tract (the "Meng-mao Triangle "); but neither does he write in favour of this course. What he suggests is that the respective limits of the two countries, Yünnan and Burmah, must be defined before negotiations for a lease can be commenced.
As regards those limits, it would seem that the claim of Tengkeng to the district round about Kangfang and Pienma cannot well be contested. Tengkeng may exercise little or no authority in the district, but he is paid from it a yearly tribute-estimated by Mr. Litton at an average of some 350 rupees. For Tzu-chu and Hparé, again, although the statements in Ting Chintai's despatch-that "soothing and controlling ' (in other words, effective administration) has been continuously exercised by the Mingkuang Fu-yi-are contradicted by the evidence collected on the spot by Messrs. Litton and Leveson, yet, as I understand, the genuineness of the certificates of succession cannot be impugned. Mr. Litton's argument is, perhaps, the best we can offer: That, in the absence of proof of actual administration of Tzu-chu and Hparé by the present Fu-yi, the certificates relate to mere empty titles such as that of "King of France" borne by the successors on the British throne of Henry VI.
Were it not for the Hparé incident we might admit, as a matter of theoretical right, the claims of the Fu-yi and buy them out; we can still do this if it is understood that our action is "without prejudice," and will not justify Chinese reclamations for the collision at Hparé in February 1900.
Perhaps the best solution of the whole problem would be for the Indian Govern- ment to agree to pay to the Yünnan Government a lump sum "in full satisfaction of any and all claims, on the part of the Chinese Government or its subjects, to territorial or other rights on the west side of the N'maikha-Salwen divide, from Manung Pum to the confines of Thibet," or "to latitude 28° 30′ north," If this could be arranged there would be no need to make new investigations or excuse to revive old controversies; while Burmah could proceed at her leisure to develop and administer the country.
I fear, however, that the Chinese Government would hold out for a perpetual lease, even without a yearly payment; since they would thus seem to avoid the reproach of alienating celestial territory. If they are unwilling even to grant a perpetual lease- but this I do not anticipate, once we formally admit the sovereignty of China-the only alternative to our forcible occupation of territory necessary to Burmah, but useless to Yunnan, would seem to be to require the Chinese to at once establish effective control over the country claimed by them, and thereafter to hold them responsible for all raids from those regions into British territory. Ting Chiht'ai's Memorial on the Wa foray of last December-a translation of which I submitted to you in my despatch No. 13 of the 11th April last-shows how distasteful such measures for the coercion of hill savages would be to the present Yunnan Government.
I have, &c. (Signed)
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
W. H. WILKINSON.
Ting, Governor-General of the Yun-kuci, to the Wai-wu Pu, Peking.
(Translation.)
Yünnan-fu, July 1, 1905.
IN October last the Governor-General had the honour to receive a telegram from the Wai-wu Pu (Board of Foreign Affairs), informing him that the British Minister had written officially to say, with reference to the northern section of the Burmah- Yunnan frontier, that his Government proposed to send officers who should, in co-operation with officers dispatched by the Chinese Government, proceed through Chinese territory to the watershed, and indicate the actual features of the country. The Chinese Delegates might, it was suggested by the Minister, he appointed by the Taotaì at Tengyuch, the official in that quarter.
On this the Board observed that the boundary in this section had been left confused for years, and the British Minister's assent to the Mission of Delegates to jointly examine its actual features was intended as a basis for future delimitation. The Board hoped that the Governor-General, as the nearest authority, would depute an
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upright trustworthy official experienced in frontier matters, and would telegraph in reply.
The Governor-General accordingly deputed Shih Hung-shao, Acting Intendant of the Western Circuit, to proceed to hold the inquiry in conjunction with the British officers, and so informed the Yamên (of Foreign Affairs).
Subsequently. last January, he had the honour to receive a telegram from the Board stating that they were in receipt of a communication from the British Minister saying that, as regards the northern section of the Burmah-Yannah frontier, the officer deputed by his Government would be the present Consul at Tengyuch, Mr. Litton, who would take with him officials from Burmah and a guard. Since both Shih Taotai and Consul Litton were now at Tengyueh, the date of their departure on this Mission, and all details of procedure, could be arranged between them. It was hoped that instructions would be given to Shih Taotai accordingly.
A further telegram informed the Governor-General that the British Minister had stated in a note to the Board that Consul Litton reported by telegraph that Shih Tautai had received his instructions, but the Taotai's idea appeared to be that it was a delimitation of the frontier that was proposed. The object, however, of the Mission of Shih Taotai and Consul Litton was, the Minister remarked, merely to report to their respective Governments for consideration, and implied no delimitation there and then. He asked that instructions might be telegraphed in this sense to Shih Taotai. On this the Board observed that the Treaty lays down, as regards the northern section of the Yunnan-Burmah frontier, that the settlement and delimitation of this portion shall be reserved until its features and conditions are more accurately known. The present mission of officers by the two countries is by no means a joint delimitation, and the Board trusted that Shih Taotai might accordingly be instructed by telegraph to arrive at a satisfactory understanding with Consul Litton.
Shih Taotai reported, in obedience to orders, that the departure for the frontier had been arranged for the 3rd March, and this date was communicated by telegraph to the Board on the 1st March,
The Taotai, Shih Hung-shao, now reports in detail how he started on the 3rd March with Consul Litton, but was obliged, owing to the snows not having yet disappeared, to alter the date of his first stage to the 5th March. On the 7th March they reached Ku-yung, but as the Deputy Commissioner of Bhamo had not arrived, they agreed to go together to Tan-cha, and stop for a time near the high conical peak. Subsequently they advanced further to Ma-li-pa, in Tien-t'an. On the 24th March they were joined by Mr. Leveson, Deputy Commissioner of Bhamo, with his guard and aides, and proceeded in a body to the frontier. Either party sent its surveyors to make surveys in
all directions. The original demarcation of the frontier had stopped short north of the high conical peak, or, as the Kachins call it, Manung Pum. Hence it was now necessary to begin surveying from this peak. Accordingly, taking with him his assistants, and accompanied by his surveyors, in conjunction with the officials from Burmah (the Taotai), started from the high conical peak and surveyed successively northwards, crossing the snowy range of the Kao-li-kung till the confines of the jurisdiction of the Li-chiang Prefect were reached, the whole country forming the borderland of Yunnan and Burmah. By the beginning of May this section of the frontier had been carefully surveyed, but it included a survey of the domains of the "Fu-yi" (chieftains) of Ming-kuang and Ta-tang, involving considerable detour and perambulation. According to the boundary maps submitted by the "Fu-yi" of Ming-kuang and Ta-t'ang, their jurisdiction extends to beyond the Sino-chiang ("Little River of the Ngaw-chang Kha").
The view of the British Delegates was that it is desirable to regard Ta-ya-k'on as the boundary, being the watershed of the Ngen-mei-k'ai, or Ngen-mai-k'a (N'maikha). Now, Ta-ya-k'ou is this side of the Siao-chiang, and distant from it 160 or 170 li. Between them are Tzu-chu, Hparé, and other stockades,* the old domains of the Yang and Tso Chieftains (Fu-yi") of Ming-kuang. Certificates of succession granted by the Board of War in the Taokuang (1821-1851) were still in existence, and, being submitted, were found to be genuine. These "Fu-yi," owing to military disturbances, had removed to territory occupied by Chinese ; but the various native stockades* were still subject to their control, kept up relations with them, and were granted, uninterruptedly, gifts of oxen and wine. Beyond the Siao-chiang, however, the native stockades were too remote, and the disposition of the natives was perverse and stubborn. Relations were comparatively infrequent,
* "Chai," defensible villages.
C
↑ "Hanti."
Lit., "still received from them, soothing and driving."