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No. 1.
4665
[January 5.]
SECTION 2.
TREC
RG 13 FEE 05
Sir,
India Office, to Foreign Office.-(Received January 5.)
India Office, January 4, 1905. IN continuation of Lord Hardwicke's letter of the 27th July, 1904, I am directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to forward, to be laid before the Marquess of Lansdowne, a copy of correspondence on the subject of the proposed extension of railways from Burmah into China.
It will be seen that the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce has been informed that the Secretary of State is not prepared at present to undertake at the cost of Indian revenues the survey of the proposed Kunlong extension.
He
With wegard, however, to the proposed railway from Bhamo to Tengyüeh (Momein), be is of opinion that the advantages of the line, as described in the accompanying papers, are such as might justify its construction if it can be carried out at a reasonable cost. would, accordingly, be prepared to instruct the Government of India to depute a railway engineer to survey the route, if the consent of the Chinese Government can be obtained. The cost of the survey would, in view of the local character of the proposed line, be borne by Indian revenues.
In these circumstances I am to request that, if Lord Lansdowne sees no objection to the proposal, application may be made to the Chinese Government for their consent to the railway survey in question, during the present or subsequent cold weather.
A further communication will be addressed to you in reply to the letter from the Foreign Office of the 22nd November, 1904.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
HORACE WALPOLE.
My Lord,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Liverpool Chamber of Commerce to Lord G. Hamilton.
Liverpool, February 25, 1903. I HAVE to acknowledge receipt of your Lordship's letter, dated 14th January, 1903, in reply to the Memorial of the Chamber on the subject of the Burmah-Shan-China Railway, dated 14th October, 1901.
The Chamber regret to hear that, after the long period of eight years which has lapsed since the Mandalay-Kunlon Railway was begun, the construction of that line, which it was ardently hoped might form a section of a railway destined to reach Szechuan has been stopped, owing to the great cost of the work and to conflicting accounts as to the practicability of the extension.
The Chamber feel how very necessary it is for the supremacy of this country's trade with the interior of China, that the South-Western and Western Provinces of China should be reached by a railway under British control, especially as the French are actively working with that object in view, and are, with the help of their Government, building a railway from Tongking to Kwang-si.
The Chamber trust, therefore, that no time will be lost or efforts spared to undertake fresh surveys through the border country of Burmah, Siam, and China, and that they would direct attention again to a long-neglected route between Bhamo and Momein.
They are given to understand that a cart-road is being made via the Taping Valley between these two places; that this road will furnish improved means of approach to a population of 5 millions of people; and that the present trade by this route amounts, according to the estimate of Mr. Litton, British Consul at Momein, to 45,000 mule loads of merchandize per annum.
The Chamber suggest, therefore, that a survey should be undertaken for a light railway between Bhamo and Momein, which might follow or be constructed upon the cart- road, as is the Barsi light railway in India. This suggestion is, however, made with a
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