'The following. letter "from Mr. EH. H. Parker, who retired recently from the Bricish' Consular Service, appears: in the Economist of the 16th of Octobe Sir,—Mach ce nus atter-has been introduced into the upon pr jected railways for ing" the overetl vaunted resources of Yunnan, Those who really wish to understand the question would do well, at the cost of a few pence, to read these lines by the light of the excellent maps published in Treaty Series, No. 7 (1897) and No. 19 (1894). The two British railway lines now under construction follow precisely.the routes taken by the Chinese armies. In 1750 some Chinese speculators endeavoured to control the working of the Muang'Lem silver mines, some of which were in the territory of the Wa tribe, the prince of which clan bors the same title then as now. The -Alompra dynasty of Burma attacked Muang Lem and Muang Mao, and war was formally declared. In December, 1767, the Manchus started from Wanting, and proceeded vid Hsenwi (Theinni), and the Kinsiao Defle Tati (Namans, River), "Thibaw, ud. the to Lashio (our present Shan ' capital"),
"Natural Bridge," to Thonzé' and' Syn-garing, near Ava, Here they: had to retreat _way"of 'Maing Lon' and Taungbaing, losing 15 per cent of their men in'killed, including the General-in-chief.
Now Syngaung is only a mile two from our Maymyo(May City), and what the Chinese call the Natural Bridge" is simply the rock crossing at the Goteik Gorge, where our new railway also crosses by a bridge 310 fort higher than the "Natural Bridge," which still-exists. The railway hus already reached Lashio, whence it will continue: to the-Kunlon Ferry. 'Thus we are following what is, with its branches, practically-the only great trade route east of 'Mandalay to" Muang Lem and 'Keng' Hung, which are the termini or "tapping" places: of "whatever "Chinege-trade'there more circuitous: southerly road to "Keng Hung, ria Laik's (Legya), which used to be frequented by the Zimmé traders, and in 1769, after their first defeat, the Chinese contemplated joining: the Ziiamé -people and marching 'a second: column: this way against Ava.
In 1769 another Manchu force, starting from Momein, marched. by way of Sansi to the Nantabet River and Kachou (Myitkina). Striking west, they took Mogaung and Mohinyin, their intention being-to' march op Ava (Mandalay now), tid Moutsobo but, after two months' fighting, the force found the project impracticable, and. turned East, vid Myohla, to Bhamo. An obstinate attack upon Kaungton failed, and once more the Chinese had to beat a retreat re infectd. Now, our second line of railway is precisely the line which the 'Manchus intended to take on the right bank of the Irrawaddy. -It goes from Sagaing, opposite to Ava, through. Mogaung to Myitkina, and Article IX. of the 1894 Convention secures our right to trade with' Momein: by way of Sansi, which by the Convention: of -1897 becomes a frontier.town.
"The only other trade routes followed Chinese armies and missions, notably those from the TYiehpikuan Pass to the Hakiieh'an Pass' (Warbon), and' Tien-ma kuan Pass (Mawsin),. are now' ours, Namksai used to be a: Chinese-Knghyen sub-chieftaincy;-of late years the Kachyen chief has. recognised Burmese supremacy but the great trade route from Namksai to.the Shwe-li River, opposite Namk'am, lay entirely within 'ERinese territory (Muang Mao) until secured for us by' the 1897: Convention, Te will thus be seen that our commercial interests have been splendidly and warily safeguarded. ~The whole trade of the extreme West of Yunnan must either pour into British territory or into Kenghung, and it would have' been unwise of -the 'Indian Government to concern itself. with debouches f.om Kenghung until' the'fate of Kenghung itself was settled.. Keng-hung is now definitely Chinese, and-part of its trade will go West, to. British torrid tory, part South, to Kiangson and Zimmed. No-one grudges the French " share, if they-can yet it. The only way they can get it is to take it by the difficult and deserted land route from Szmao or Ip'éng, through Muang-U, to T'ienpienfu or Muangdai.—Yours, &c.,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.