Tali-Fu to
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passed before one reaches Menghua-Ting, a town of some importance in a large plain. The Nantien plain is prosperous and contains many villages. Chintong, halfway between Tall and Saumao, is in a large and fertile plain, with iron mines. After passing Enlo, a busy village, and Mohci, the depôt of a large salt trade, the road crosses a ridge of 6,215 feet to Puerh, a town of 15,000 people, situated in a closely cultivated valley in which are many villages. Its trade is not very important. From Puerh to Ssamao, over a pass of 6,350 feet, occupies two days. By this road, on which are found many caravans with salt, cotton, and general merchandise, Ssuinao is reached from Tali in 20 days.
Continuing the main route from Bhamo, the road to Yunnan-Fu is Yunnan-Fu. traversed in 12 days. M. Bonin, a recent traveller, describes this as one of the most difficult routes in the province, and says that, when he traversed it, the road was transformed into lakes of mud and cascades of disembedded paving stones. Years ago Margary spoke of the route as full of deserted villages and difficult passes, while Baber said that no one would attempt this wild route from Tali to Yunnan-Fu. Hosie says that Yunnan-Fu derives its requirements from Shanghai and Canton, and supplies the country E. of Tali. Under present conditions, indeed, it is difficult for merchandise to pass from Bhamo to the E. of Tali without meeting the competition of goods forwarded more cheaply by other routes. According to Lenz, the bulk of the comparatively small traffic is in Burma cotton, together with some tea, rhubarb, &c. The road crosses the high watershed separating the Yangtze from the West River and Red River basins. It involves many ascents and descents, and the traversing of much waste and of many bills that are either barren or covered with pine forests. Excepting Chennang, where Ssuchuanese cultivators are found, all the towns and villages show the ravages of the rebellion, while the people are very poor and almost without clothes. Chaochou appears to be the most thriving and promising of the places on the route. Others worth naming are Hungai, Chuhsiung, Lufeng Hsien, and Anningchow.
Tariffs, &c.
From the above description it will be seen how unpromising are the commercial position and prospects of the route from Bhamo to Yunnan-Fu. The cost of transport is necessarily high, owing to the long distance to be traversed, the difficulties and fatigue, and the danger of disease; and Mr. Neville (of the Blackburn mission) says that there are seven likin or other dues payable on this route. Fow goods cau bear such heavy expenses in the way of transport and duties. The largest importing merchant in Yunnan-Fu said that he had tried to import yarn by the Bhamo route, but owing to the excessive taxation thus incurred, he now had to import everything vid Tonkin and Mengtsz. Mr. Hebbert, late officiating manager of the Burma Railways, has called attention recently to the desirability of improving the caravan track up the Taping valley, which is, according to travellers, worse in British than in Chinese territory.
It should be mentioned that little Judian traffic passes over the telegraphi lines between Burma and the Yangtze valley, though the wires are now maintained in much better order than at first.
In recent years political efforts have been made to promote frontier trade. By the Anglo-Chinese Agreement of 1st March 1894 (extended by that of 4th February 1897), the British Government allow Chinese produce and manufactures (except salt) to enter Burma by land duty free, and British and Indian products to be exported to China by land free of duty (except pulse, rice, and all grains). The duties on imports are ths less than the general tariff of the Imperial Maritime Customs and those on exports ths less. Transit passes are to be in accord with the rules in force at the Treaty Ports. The importation and exportation of opium and spirituous liquors are prohibited. The British Government also consented, in order to encourage mining in Yunnan, to allow Chinese vessels carrying merchandise, minerals, and ores of all kinds to navigate the Irrawaddy on the same terms as British vessels. If Mr. Neville's statement as to duties is correct, it is clearly necessary that the Government should constrain the Chinese to enforce the transit pass system on this route, as the French have done on the Tonkin route to Yunnan-Fu. Our goods cannot well compete with the Tonkin route at Yunnan-Fu and in the country S. and E. of the capital, but under transit passes (which would reduce the duties from about 15 or 20 to 24 per cent. ad valorem) they might go to many of the chief places in Yunnan. Consul Jamieson considers that cotton yarn
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can be laid down on the Burma-Yunnan frontier at a fraction of the cost with which it is burdened in reaching Mengisz through Tonkin. He believes that with lower freight, lower duties, and consequently a lower laying down cost on the frontier, combined with an emporium at Bhamo or elsewhere where the Chinese can purchase direct and so save commission and agency expenses, the Bhamo route may deprive the Red River route of a great deal of trade in yarn and other Indian or British goods.
Ferry.
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(b.) Mandalay-Kunlon Ferry Route.-The great difficulties of the Bhamo Mandalay to route have caused attention to be turned to other ways of penetrating China the Kunion from Burma. Baber long ago suggested that an attempt should be made to reach some town of importance, such as Shunning-Fu, by ascending the river valleys. The ascent is considerable, hut any line or route into Yunnan must rise from 2,000 up to 6,000 feet. For centuries the trade route passing from Mandalay vid Maymyo and Thibaw (Hsipaw) to Thienni and the Kunlon Ferry on the Salween near the border of Yunnan has been recognised as a highway from China to Burma. Although a railway vid Kunlon (now a collection of huts) to Shunning may revive this trade and will shorten the distance to Ssumao, it will not bring us nearer the present centres of trade in western Yunnan, as Momien, Tali, and Yungchang are about the same distance from Kunlon as from Bharo, though Kunlon is much nearer to Kenghung and Monglem. The Mandalay-Kunlon line, now under con- struction, is being made, says Mr. Bagley, along the only practicable railway route into China.
Beyond Kunlon the country is very mountainous, but, according to the Possible report of Captain Davies, it appears possible to continue the line to various extensions. points in western Yunnan without encountering serious difficulties as hilly countries go, though he questions whether such a line would pay. The Chinese Government have agreed to the extension of the line into Yunnan. The possible extensions into China are: (1) From Kunlon to Yincho and Shunning (and perhaps Tali). The Nam-ting valley would be followed for 50 miles to Mong Kyen, a practically level route; then, by an easy gradient of 50 miles, the road leads to Monglai, whence in 18 miles it crosses the watershed (5,600 feet) of the Salween and Mekong (rise of 2,400 feet-chief obstacle on the route), and down (1,800 feet) to Yincho, 12 miles. This line would, for the rest, follow fairly broad valleys. From Yincho to Shunning it could be continued along 25 miles of good road (ascent 1,600 feet). Mr. Bagley estimates the cost at 14 lakhs of rupees per mile. Under treaty a line may be made to Tali, and, according to Captain Davies, could possibly be carried out by ascending river valleys, though difficulties would arise from the precipitous river banks or the mountain barriers. Mr. J. G. Scott said it is practically certain a line can be carried along a stream to the Mekong and thence on to Tali. The line, however, from Yincho to Tali (150 miles) would be difficult and expensive. (2) A line from Kunion to Yungchang (190 miles) would meet with similar difficulties, though the gradients are practicable in the opinion of Captain Davies. The line would, however, pass through some rather poor country, and no extensions would be possible. This line would hardly be necessary, as Yungchang is only six days from Shunning.
The line to Yincho and beyond would be useful, for, if only carried to Shunning Fa Shunning, it would collect to itself the Yungchang and Tali trade, create a and Yinche. local trade, and open up all south-west Yunnan to the east of the Mekong, Supposing the Tonkin line not made, it might attract a great deal of the Yunnan-Fu trade also. There is strong evidence as to the importance of Yincho. Prince Henry, while disparaging Shunning as inferior to Ssunao, speaks of Yincho as a district fertile in sugar, maize, and rice, and he met in the vicinity numerons mules with iron and cotton. Captain Davies states that it has a trade with the Shan towns, and is larger and more prosperous than Shunning. Mr. Turner says Shunning-Fu is of no account for foreign trade and is off the main trade routes. But he states that, though the town. has no industries, it stands in a large plain growing excellent rice, much opium and sugar, and some tea. Yincho, however, he considers more important. It has quite a large trade in foreign goods from Canton, and supplies Shunning-Fu. It has direct trade with Yunnan-Fu and Hsia-Kwan
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