1872, Hsii Cheng-hsun, expectant. prefect on the Yunnan establishment, memorialised the Throne, recommending the re-opening of the Copper mines in Yunnav. He pointed out the advantages that would accrue to the province, as well as the benefit to the Empire at large, in obtaining a fresh supply of copper, to prevent the further debasement of the currency which had been going on for years. Apparently acting on his recommendation, which was referred in due course to the Board of Revenue, we learn now, after an interval of nearly three years, the first instalment of the result, in the shape of some 600 tons of copper, delivered in the provincial capital of Yunnan. So far so good; 600 tons of copper, worth say 45,000 to 50,000 pounds sterling, is no resalt for the labour of two-and-a-half years; but it is better than nothing; and the labour employed has, at all events, been prevented from being turned to less profitable account, in the shape of rebellion or petty brigandage. Hsii, in his memorial in 1872, said of the province, "Trade can scarcely be said to exist at all; the roads are over-grown with thorns; and merchants find it impossible to do any business." The difficulty at the time was to know where to procure the necessary funds for commencing operations; presumably, this difficulty has been overcome, and Yunnan finds itself in a position to afford some relief to the Imperial exchequer. But copper ab Yunnan, and copper in the districts of China where it can be made profitable use of, are two different matters; and we can understand Hsii's allusion to the destruction of trade and the decay of the roads, on reading Is'en Yii-ying's (the present Governor) report, in the Gazette of the 29th of last roonth, 'I'he whole resources of the province are not equal to the task of removing these 600 tons of copper to the highways, or rather navigable waterways, of the Empire.
Owing to the protracted desolation of the province by revolt, the population has been greatly reduced, and the number of persons owning beasts of burden is very small." 3,000 animals, making repeated journeys, are required for the service; and with great difficulty this number has been obtained, to convey the copper through Chinese territory—by the easiest way, about 500 miles of land carriage was necessary—to the town of Peh-sih-ting, in Kwangsi, whence it can descend, in boats, the West River to Canton, and be thence conveyed by steamer to Peking. This route has been substituted for the Northern and more direct one through Kweichow, to the Yangtsze, apparently as offering greater facilities in the shorter land carriage required. We have in this matter some gauge as to present capabilities of Yunnan. In its state of isolation, we find that it needs' all the powers of the Provincial Government to thave a paltry six hundred tons across the frontiers, and that the operation is expected to be the work of months, and only to be accomplished by successive relays. It seems difficult to understand, therefore, what is the innate objection of the Chinese to permit the opening of Yunnan from its two more salient points. The French Expedition, if it did nothing more, at least clearly indicated the Song-koi, or Cochin-China River as the natural outlet of the province. Our own. explorations seem to prove that it is fully as accessible from Barmah as from the Chinese side. Judging from the political relations of the Chinese Government with that of Annam, there ought to be no difficulty in making use of the Song-koi as a means of communication, As matters stand at present, the 600 tons of copper can scarcely be transported. across the 500 miles at a less cost than some Taels
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.