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... ntent at http://about.jstor.org/participate--jstor/individuals/early-journal--content. JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary source objects. JSTOR helps people discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content through a powerful research and teaching platform, and preserves this content for future generations. JSTOR is part of ITHAKA, a not--for--profit organization that also includes Ithaka S+R and Portico. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. JUSE 24,1867.] RIVER COMMUNICATION FROM INDIA TO CHINA. 255 retain the names used in the collntries they explored. Thlls, the Jaxartes of the ancients was the Syr Daria of the Rus3ians, and the Oxus of the ancients their Amu l)alia. The Rev. Mr. LLOYD said that the Russian navy and surveyors had gone very reCularly over that portion of the coast which Mr. Saunders had referred to; and the Master of the SeyEla vas much indebte(l to the Rllssian officers while on his visit there, not only for the information they gave, but also for the admiral)ly executed maps which they allowed him to see. A mistake in the EnClish charts was detected and made g>od by comparison with the Russian charts. The Russian determinations had been mawde with great accuracy. On Communicatzon between India and ChincF by the tine of the Burham pooter and Yang-tse. By General Sir ARTHUR COTTON, R.E. THE Author stated that orders had been lately issued to sursey the line of country in Lower Burmah or Pegu as far as our own frontier, in the direction of the Chinese province of Yunan, with a view to the establishment of a line of route between our Indian possessions and China; but he thought it very strange that so itnportant a question as internal communication between India and China, should be treated it} such an imperfect way. No attempt had been made to consider the real question, which was, what wollld bs the best line for such a communication. Hc conceived the question of throwing open all India, with its population of 200 millions, to all China and its 400 millions of people, was of such great importance that it required a much more serious consideration than had yfet been given to it. There were three conclusive objections to the connection with Rangoon. 1st. It would lead the traffic to an insig;nificant pOlt, instead of directing it to the great port of India and the seat of G-overnment. 2nd. It would not connect the great body of India with China, but only an insignificant province containing two millions of people. 3rd. There were 900 miles of land-carriage between Rangoon and the Tang-tse; whereas it was essential to approach much nearer the great line of water-carriage in China, by which all the great traSc of the country was carried on. The line which best fulfilled the necessarg conditions of tho shortest possible land-carriage was the direct one between the Burhampooter alld the Yang-tse, the distance between the navigable paUlts of which was only about 250 miles. This was the only interruption in a prospective line of internal water-communication between Kurrachee and the whole interior anel seaboard of China, for the Indus and the Ganges would be sooner or later connected by means of a cana1 between the Sutlej and the Jlsmna. The line thus suggested had the advantat,e of being not oilly the t3hortest, DISCUSSION ON PAPER BY GEN. SIR A. COTTON. EJUSE 24, 1867. Mr. CRAWFI:rRD said he healtily wished he coul l az,ree with the project of Sir Arthur Cotton, for he should be happy to coincide with a gentleman who had, to his (Mr. Crawfurd's) certain knowle(lge, rendered more substantial selvice to India than any other man he could name. lt wotllci be very desirable to establish a rapid water-communication between the 200 rnillions of lSritish subjects in India and the 400 millions of Chinese. The line of communication proposed between the Burhampooter and the Yan(rtse-Riang by Sir Arthur Cotton, was only 250 miles in length but it lay throuah the worst country in the whole world, a conffleries of mountains, divided by vev narrow valleys, which would hardly allow the sun to penetrate them, and covered with a deep jungle of forests abounding in leeches so that a traveller could not pass through them without losint, nearly haif the blood in his body. l'he countrtt was also inhabited by one of the most savave and warlike tribes in all the east. But, stlpposing the difficulties to be surmounted the western terovince of China, to which the route conducted, was almost the worst and most unproductive provinse of that empire. The same objection nli(rht be urDed against the route recommended by Captain Sprye, which telminated in the province of Yunan. Se-chuen was equal in extent to the IJnited Kinfrdom, and contained a poplllation of about 133 inhabitants to the square mile. Yunan was equal to twice the size of Great Britain, and its population was 55 inhabitants to the mile. It was not from such cotlLltries as those that we were to expect a profitable trade. C)ur real intercourse must be with the eastern provinces of Chil,^. The staple product of Se-chuen was rhubarb, and a little of that article would go a long way. The quantity imported into this country was 130,000 lbs. weight of the vallle of 56,0001. l'hat would afford no great trade, even supposing ali our rhubarb canae from Se-chuen. The Yangtse-Kiang was naviaable for about 960 miles, and the distance not naviCable was about 600 miles further. Du Halde stated that the territorJr of Ching-foo, the capital of Se-chuell, was the only level spot in the whole province. He believed that the route pointed out in the paper was impractical)le and delusive. Mr. G. CAMPBELL said that they must all feel that the very sanaliIIe expectations expressed by Sir Arthur Cotton would not be realized in their own day or in that of their children but, on the other hand, a direct line of communication for social intercourse and light traffic belween the ts o countries of India and China might be established even in our own day. He ret,arded the immivration of Chinese into India as the most important point which had been mooted tllis evening. He believed that, if a route could be opened to Assam, that province would become one of the most productive in the world. It possessed tea-fields, and also produced coal. The Bunnese route would probably be the easiest ph-sically, but there were very great political difficulties, and the distance was much greater. Every effort should therefore be made to open the direct route by a mountain road siIlwilar to the Hindostan and Thibet road If the Chinese Government could be induced to aaree with the British Government for the establishment of such a route enormous advantages might be obtaitled. Mr. SAUNDERS said that the immediate proposition of Sir Arthur Cotton was not so impracticable as miCht be supposed from some of the remarks which had been made. The imnlediate proposition was to ascertain what was the nature of the difficulties which would have to be overcome in the establishment of a line of communication. The only generalization arrived at relating to the inhabitants of the district through which Sir Arthur Cotton's proposed route lay was that they were of the Shan racev and what we knew of that race farther south was hi^,hly favourable to them. It mifflht, therefore, be expected that they would not present any formidable difficulties if they were -aI,-)proached cautiously. The evidence we possessed with re^,ard to the mountains favoured the belief that they were considerably deplessed below the JURE 24, 1867.] JURE 24, 1867.] JOURNEY NORTH-WEST OF PEKH. JOURNEY NORTH-WEST OF PEKH. 2.)9 2.)9