No. 29.
Enclo
And, 1913.
512
H.M. CONSULATE-GENERAL,
YUNNANFU-
July 24th, 1918.
Sir,
I have the honour to refer you to my telegram No. 10 of the 3rd instant reporting the arrival of American en- gineers at Yunnanfu,
The party consists of Messrs. Finch, Mills, Wimmler, and Frazee, and they are apparently fully equipped for sur- veying and reporting on the mineral wealth of the province. Their writing paper is headed "New York Orient Mines Co.,"
Mr. Finch, the leader of the party, who brought me a letter of introduction from Mr. Anderson (see my June In- telligence Report), has talked to me freely about his trip. From what he has said about Yunnan he does not think this province can do much in the way of furnishing raw material to the United States, partly owing to poverty of resources and partly owing to the great difficulty and cost of tran- sport; he is not going to Kochiu, and he has abandoned the idea of visiting the T'ung Ch'uan copper mines owing to the unfavourable report he received of them; he is now going to inspect some mines west of Talifu on the Szechuan-Yunnan frontier, but he does not anticipate any great results. He expects to return this way but may possibly go out via Burma. The party leaves for the west in a few days as soon as they can procure the necessary caravan.
The Right Honourable,
Sir J.N. Jordan G.C.I.E.
etc..
etc., etc.,
His Majesty's Minister, Peking.
The/