The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-03-05 00:00:00

RAILWAY EXTENSION IN INDIA AND
BIIRMAH.

On Fridey evening, at the rooms of the Society of
Arts, John•street, Adelphi, Mr. Holt Hallet read a
paper on "Railway Extension in India and Burmah
and their connection with China." Mr. J. M. Maclean,
M.P., presided, and there were among those present
Sir Juland Danvers, Sir Richard Meade, Surgeon-
General Manifold, Mr. Hyde Clarke, and Mr. A.
Bryce._

Mr. Holt Hallett introduced his subject by refer-
ring to the over-production from which in a great
degree our trade was suffering. We must acquire fresh
customers by opening new markets. Those markets
wei e within our reach in India and Burmah, and unless
they were opened, and our trade carried into them and
into the vast unopened markets in China and Indo-
China, many of our manufactories must be closed. As
we lowered our prices foreign tariffs were raised, and
would continue to rise until our wares were generally
shut out from Continental markets. The American
tariffs at present varied between 50 and 265 per cent.
on articles of import. Wou'd it not have been better
for the extension of our commerce if the £400,000,000
that we had invested in United Staten railways had
been invested in those of India? India was a willing
customer. Enrich her by spending money on her rail-
ways, and she would repay us by taking ever-in-
creasing quantities of our manufactures, and would
certainly prove an inexhaustible mine of wealth to
this country. Steamers and railways had already
done a great deal for the revenues, trade, protection,
enrichment, and advancement of the people of India.
Since 1879 the export of wheat from that country had
leapt from 2,000, to 56.000,000 bushels, and the figure
were not less significant regarding other ex-
ports. In India exports had increased 54 79
pest cent., while those of England, France,
and Germany had declined. Whole spaces
existed in India to the extent of the whole area of
England and Wales upon which there was not a single
line of rails. The only excuse the Indian Government
had for doing nothing and allowing the rupee to fall
to is. 6d. in value was that they had a fear of loss from
exchange. Of the sums expended on Indian railways
one-fourth was spent on materials in England and
three-forths for construction in India. Therefore as
the greatest part of the expenditure would be in
silver that expenditure would not he so great when
the rupee was valued at is 6d. as it would if valued
at 2s. For instance, if only 66,667 miles of railway
were required, that mileage could be constructed
for £325,000,000 when the rupee stood at s. 6d.,
while £40,000,000 would be required if it ;
were at 2s. The construction of railways when
the value of the rupee was low was therefore '
decidedly advantageous to the Indian Govsrn-
ment. As to the increased liabilities that
would be incurred by the Government carry-
ing out such an xtensive scheme for railways, he
would point out that a railway constructed in the
first year would, in the ordinary course, pay 1 per
cent., the third year 2 per cent., and, taking the
average f Indian railways, 5.8 per cent. in the
eighth year. If a policy of Government guarantees
were adopted, the depression of trade would vanish
and the revenues of India greatly increase. Railways
in India and Burmah were of great importance to
the cotton and yarn industries. To those two
countries in 1884 was exported nearly one-half bf our
total export. Were it not for railways in India our
cotton, iron, and steel industries would be depressed
to a greater degree than what they were. Ana know-
ing how useful railways in India had proved not only
to commerce, civilisation, and to the wslfare of the
natives of India, but also in times of war, famine,
and insurrention, was it not pitiful that the Secre-
tary of State and the Government of India could com-
placently look on and ref use to expedite their construc-
tion by such concessions as would enable them to be
placed on the stock markets of the world. (Hear,
bear.) He hoped that the new Secretary of State for
India would resolutely follow up his words at Ashton-
under-Lyne, where he stated that he wanted the
people of England to coase forward and say they would
advance money to extend the railway system of India.
There were at least three courses open to the Go-
vernment—to increase its public works establish-
ment, to call in the aid of construction companies
and afterwards decrease its liability by leasing the
lines, or to offer such terms to private enterprise
as would enable syndicates to float the railways at
par upon the market. (Hear, hear.) What he
had said with reserence to the railways of India
was also applicable to Burmah, without which, he
thought, it was impossible to bring out the resources
of that country or even to protect it. He concluded
by pointing out by means of a map the routes of pro-
posed railways from the mouth of the Irrawaddy, in
the Gulf of Martaban, to connect with the Indian
railways, and also from Bangkok to Chung-Ching,
thus connecting Siam and Burmah and India with
China.
Sir 'lnland Danvers' Mr. Maclean, M.P., Mr. Hyde
Clarke, Mr. Kimble, Mr. Mowitt, and Mr. A. Bryce
also took part in the discussion of the subject. A.
vote of thanks to Mr. Holt Hallett terminated the
proceedings. 4