Lieutenant-Governor understands it is the boundary which the British Government has already decided to adopt, and which the Ambassador at Peking has been instructed to insist on. Under these circumstances it appears unnecessary for the Lieutenant-Governor to discuss Mr. Litton's observations on possible lines of frontier. It is sufficient to say that he advances new and cogent reasons for adhering to the line of frontier which the British Minister at Peking has been instructed to insist on.
3. Mr. Litton goes on to point out the advisability of dealing with this question at an early date. The Lieutenant-Governor fully agrees with Mr. Litton that a settlement of the question is desirable.
early
4. Mr. Litton represents further that it is undesirable that the demarcation of the boundary should be intrusted to a Commission of the same character as that which demarcated the frontier further south. His objections to the adoption of this procedure are that the country to be operated in is very inaccessible, and that the Chinese Commissioner would be obstructive. These objections carry great weight. The country is inaccessible, inhospitable, and unexplored, and is inhabited by wild tribes who would resist intrusion into their territory. Any Boundary Commission which operated in this country would need the protection of a large escort, and the work of demarcation would be very expensive. Mr. Litton's second objection has equal force. Our experience of the proceedings of the recent Boundary Commission is certainly not such as to afford encouragement to the appointment of a second. It will be within the recollection of the Government of India that on one section of the frontier the whole of the season 1897-98 was wasted by the obstruction of the Chinese Commissioner, and that in the season of 1899-1900 practically no work was done because the Chinese Commissioner insisted on basing his claims on a map which Mr. Litton correctly describes as a forgery. Under these circumstances the Lieutenant-Governor concurs with Mr. Litton that the demarcation of the boundary should not be intrusted to a Commission. His Honour advises that the Chinese Government should be pressed to execute an Agreement recognizing the provisional boundary as the permanent boundary. When this Agreement had been executed any local claims of the kind mentioned by Mr. Litton can be considered and dealt with locally.
5. In the latter part of his letter Mr. Litton refers to certain claims of the Ming Kwang, Headman to country along the N'Maikha, and even to the west of the N'Maikha. It is no doubt in connection with these claims that the Chinese have made incursions from time to time into the N'Maikha tract. Particulars of these incursions are given in Chapter VI of Captain Holloway's "Report on the Country East of the N'Maikha, &c., 1901." Mr. Litton suggests that these claims should be disposed of by a money payment, or by concessions in connection with the delimitation of the frontier. As the Lieutenant-Governor is aware, there are no valid grounds for admitting the claims referred to by Mr. Litton. In paragraph 3 of their despatch, dated the 14th June, 1900, to the Secretary of State, the Government of India pointed out that China had never exercised control in the valley of the N'Maikha, and they advised against the admission of such claims. In the Lieutenant-Governor's opinion this attitude should be adhered to.
So far
6. If the Chinese claims to which Mr. Litton refers should be admitted, the Lieutenant-Governor advises that whatever concession may be made should take the form of a money payment. There would be little use in offering concessions in the Wa country, because the demarcation of the frontier in that locality has been suspended indefinitely, and, in view of the practical difficulties of the work, is not likely to be resumed at an early date. The Lieutenant-Governor is altogether opposed to Mr. Litton's second alternative. Such a line as he suggests would insert a wedge of China into British territory, and in view of the notorious inability of the Chinese to maintain order among the Kachins, would render any satisfactory administration of the country north of the N'Maikha a permanent impossibility. This country has not yet been brought under administration, but the necessity to administer it may arise at any time. The difficulties of administration would be immensely increased if a belt of territory belonging to China traversed the tract. This belt would certainly become an Alsatia in which lawless characters would take refuge, and from which they would raid into British territory on each side.
7. At the end of his letter Mr. Litton makes suggestions regarding the constitution of a Boundary Commission in the event of such a Commission being appointed. As he is opposed to the appointment of a Boundary Commission, the Lieutenant-Governor considers it unnecessary to remark on this part of Mr. Litton's letter at present.
8. Finally, Mr. Litton proposes that a small joint survey expedition should be dispatched to survey the country between the N'Maikha and the mountains on the east.
5
This proposal is open to the same objection as the proposal to appoint a Boundary Commission—namely, that owing to the nature of the country and of its inhabitants, a survey could not be executed without the support of a large escort, nor otherwise than at great expense.
I have, &c.
C. G. BAYNE, Chief Secretary.
(Signed)
Inclosure 8 in No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Litton to Government of Burmah.
Yünnan-fu, February 1, 1903.
I HAVE the honour to submit a copy of a Memorandum on the undelimited frontier which I have prepared for His Majesty's Minister.
During a recent journey from Chien Chuan to Têngyüeh by a direct route, I have had some special opportunities of conversing with the officials and people; respectfully urge upon your Government the advisability of taking up this question at as early a date as possible. Even now I anticipate that it will be a matter of serious difficulty to secure a satisfactory frontier by peaceful negotiations, and every season's delay will greatly increase that difficulty. I would also venture to call special attention to the improbability of a Boundary Commission, similar to those appointed in previous seasons, achieving any satisfactory result,
Inclosure 9 in No. 1.
Memorandum by Acting Consul-General Litton on the Undelimited Frontier between Burmah and Yunnan.
FROM the point of view of demarcation, the country to the north of Manung Pun, the most northerly point of the present delimited frontier, presents some obvious features of difference from the country to the south, which has been already demarcated. To the south, with the exception of the Wa hills, the ancient rights of China and Burmah were conterminous or overlapping; that the territories of certain Chiefs belonged either to China or Burmah was known, and the work of the Commissioners consisted in defining, field by field, or village by village, the limits of those territories. But to the north there is a wide tract of almost unknown country, which has never been brought under control either from the Indian or the Chinese side, and to which, on the ground of actual jurisdiction, Burmah can put forward no claims and China only very shadowy claims.
Secondly, the geographical features of this northern undelimited region are of a very special character: four great rivers, the Irrawaddy (east or N'Maikha branch), the Salween, the Mekong, and the Yangtse, flow south parallel to each other. In the latitude of Wei Hsi (about 27° north) a line 100 miles long, or less than two degrees of longitude, would cover all four; great mountain ranges, rising to many thousands of feet above them, divide the narrow basins of these rivers, leaving very little open country.
So far as is known the Kachins do not appear to extend east into the Upper Salween basin, which, north of approximate latitude 26° 10′ north, is inhabited by Lisaws, who stretch across the Mekong basin and mingle with the Chinese, Semi-Thibetan, and Minchia population on the east of that river.
To the north of Tengyueh, and to the east of Manung Pun, the Chinese population is thick in the valleys of Ku Yung and Tienyang, which are subject to Tengyueh, though Tien-Tang also has a hereditary Headman or "tu'ssu" named Liu; further to the north-east is Ming Kwang with a "tu'ssu" named Tso, subject to Têngyüeh; the head of the family was killed in the Hparé affair. On the east of Ming Kwang Valley is the valley of Kai To'u, which extends as far north as Ta T'ang, one day's journey north of Kai To'u market, where there is a petty civil official subordinate to Têngyüeh, but no “tu'ssu.”
Tien Tang "pa'tzu," or valley, is on the upper waters of the T'aiping, or Ta Ho River, as it is called, above Ku Yung. Ming Kwang and Kai To'u Valleys are each
Page 48
Lieutenant-Governor understands it is the boundary which the British Government has already decided to adopt, and which the Ambassador at Peking has been instructed to insist on. Under these circumstances it appears unnecessary for the Lieutenant-Governor to discuss Mr. Litton's observations on possible lines of frontier. It is sufficient to say that he advances new and cogent reasons for adhering to the line of frontier which the British Minister at Peking has heen instructed to insist on.
3. Mr. Litton goes on to point out the advisability of dealing with this question at an early date. The Lieutenant-Governor fully agrees with Mr. Litton that an settlement of the question is desirable.
early
4. Mr. Litton represents further that it is undesirable that the demarcation of the boundary should be intrusted to a Commission of the same character as that which demarcated the frontier further south. His objections to the adoption of this procedure are that the country to be operated in is very inaccessible, and that the Chinese Commissioner would be obstructive. These objections carry great weight. The country is inaccessible, inhospitable, and unexplored, and is inhabited by wild tribes who would resist intrusion into their territory. Any Boundary Commission which operated in this country would need the protection of a large escort, and the work of demarcation would he very expensive. Mr. Litton's second objection has equal force. Our experience of the proceedings of the recent Boundary Commission is certainly not such as to afford encouragement to the appointment of a second. It will be within the recollection of the Government of India that on one section of the frontier the whole of the season 1897-98 was wasted by the obstruction of the Chinese Commissioner, and that in the season of 1899-1900 practically no work was done because the Chinese Commissioner insisted on basing his claims on a map which Mr. Litton correctly describes as a forgery. Under these circumstances the Lieutenant-Governor coneurs with Mr. Litton that the demarcation of the boundary should not be intrusted to a Commission. His Honour advises that the Chinese Government should be pressed to execute an Agreement recognizing the provisional boundary as the permanent boundary. When this Agreement had been executed any local claims of the kind mentioned by Mr. Litton can be considered and dealt with locally.
5. In the latter part of his letter Mr. Litton refers to certain claims of the Ming Kwang, Headman to country along the N'Maikha, and even to the west of the N'Maikba. It is no doubt in connection with these claims that the Chinese have made incursions from time to time into the N'Maikha tract. Particulars of these incursions are given in Chapter VI of Captain Holloway's "Report on the Country East of the N'Maikha, &c., 1901." Mr. Litton suggests that these claims should be disposed of by a money payment, or by concessions in connection with the delimitation of the frontier. as the Lieutenant-Governor is aware, there are no valid grounds for admitting the claims referred to by Mr. Litton. In paragraph 3 of their despatch, dated the 14th June, 1900, to the Secretary of State, the Government of India pointed out that China had never exercised control in the valley of the N'Maikla, and they advised against the admission of such claims. In the Lieutenant-Governor's opinion this attitude should be adhered to.
So far
6. If the Chinese claims to which Mr. Litton refers should be admitted, the Lieutenant-Governor advises that whatever concession may be made should take the form of a money payment. There would be little use in offering concessions in the Wa country, because the demarcation of the frontier in that locality has been suspended indefinitely, and, in view of the practical difficulties of the work, is not likely to he resumed at an early date. The Lieutenant-Governor is altogether opposed to Mr. Litton's second alternative. Such a line as he suggests would insert a wedge of China into British territory, and in view of the notorious inability of the Chinese to maintain order among the Kachins, would render any satisfactory administration of the country north of the N'Maikha a permanent impossibility. This country has not yet been brought under administration, but the necessity to administer it may arise at any time. The difficulties of administration would be immensely increased if a belt of territory belonging to China traversed the tract. This belt would certainly become an Alsatia in which lawless characters would take refuge, and from which they would raid into British territory on each side.
7. At the end of his letter Mr. Litton makes suggestions regarding the constitution of a Boundary Commission in the event of such a Commission being appointed. As he is opposed to the appointment of a Boundary Commission, the Lieutenant-Governor considers it unnecessary to remark on this part of Mr. Litton's letter at present.
8. Finally, Mr. Litton proposes that a small joint survey expedition should be dispatched to survey the country between the N'Maikha and the mountains on the east.
5
This proposal is open to the same objection as the proposal to appoint a Boundary Commission-namely, that owing to the nature of the country and of its inhabitants, a survey could not be executed without the support of a large escort, nor otherwise than at great expense.
I have, &c.
C. G. BAYNE, Chief Secretary.
(Signed)
Inclosure 8 in No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Lition to Government of Burmah.
Yünnan-fu, February 1, 1903.
I HAVE the honour to submit a copy of a Memorandum on the undelimited frontier which I have prepared for His Majesty's Minister.
During a recent journey from Chien Chuan to Têngyüeh by a direct route, I have would had some special opportunities of conversing with the officials and people; respectfully urge upon your Government the advisability of taking up this question at as early a date as possible. Even now I anticipate that it will be a matter of serious difficulty to secure a satisfactory frontier by peaceful negotiations, and every season's delay will greatly increase that difficulty. I would also venture to call special attention to the improbability of a Boundary Commission, similar to those appointed in previous seasons, achieving any satisfactory result,
Inclosure 9 in No. 1.
Memorandum by Acting Consul-General Litton on the Undelimited Frontier between Burmah and Yunnan.
FROM the point of view of demarcation, the country to the north of Manung Pun, the most northerly point of the present delimited froutier, presents some obvious features of difference from the country to the south, which has been already demar- cated. To the south, with the exception of the Wa hills, the ancient rights of China and Burmah were conterminous or overlapping; that the territories of certain Chiefs belonged either to China or Burmah was known, and the work of the Commissioners consisted in defining, field by field, or village by village, the limits of those territories. But to the north there is a wide tract of almost unknown country, which has never been brought under control either from the Indian or the Chinese side, and to which, on the ground of actual jurisdiction, Burmah can put forward no claims and China only very shadowy claims.
Secondly, the geographical features of this northern undelimited region are of a very special character: four great rivers, the Irrawaddy (east or N'Maikha branch), the In the Salween, the Mekong, and the Yangtse, flow south parallel to each other. latitude of Wei Hsi (about 27° north) a line 100 miles long, or less than two degrees of longitude, would cover all four; great mountain rauges, rising to many thousands of feet above them, divide the narrow basins of these rivers, leaving very little open country.
So far as is known the Kachins do not appear to extend east into the Upper Salween basin, which, north of approximate latitude 26° 10′ north, is inhabited by Lisaws, who stretch across the Mekong basin and mingle with the Chinese, Semi- Thibetan, and Minchia population on the east of that river.
#F
To the north of Tengyueh, and to the east of Manung Pun, the Chinese population is thick in the valleys of Ku Yung and Tienyang, which are subject to Tengyueb, though Tien-Tang also has a hereditary Headman or "tu'ssu named Liu; further to the north-east is Ming Kwang with a tu'ssu" named Tso, subject to Têngyüeh; the head of the family was killed in the Hparé affair. On the east of Ming Kwang Valley is the valley of Kai To'u, which extends as far north as Ta T'ang, one day's journey north of Kai Ton market, where there is a petty civil official subordinate to Têngyüeh, but no “tuʼssu.”
Tien Tang "pa'tzu," or valley, is on the upper waters of the T'aiping, or Ta Ho River, as it is called, above Ku Yung. Ming Kwang and Kai Ton Valleys are each
[2260 aa—1]
0
48
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