The Sun.
London, England, 1870-02-25 00:00:00

THE ROUTE FROM RANGOON TO KUNG HUNG.

Mr. W. It. HAIGH, of Huddersfield, proposed the fol•
loving resolution. That this association, being anxious
that no opportunity should be lost of facilitating the ex'
tension of British commerce, and believing that the vast
provinces of Western and Central China present an impor •
mat field -for commercial enterprise, memorialise tbo
Secretary of State for India in favour of the completion
of the survey of the route from Rangoon to Kiang .11111 q,
3a the Upper Cambogia River proposed by Captain
Spry e, that route being in the opinion of this Association
to s mo,t direct and practicable, and the least likely to
lead to political complications, of the many which have
13..hin suggested. .Ttie mover of the resolution said that
this was the age of short cuts.. The general objects on
the part of Governments being to get directly into cow-
M.llliCatiOn with those persons from which they hoped to
derive their raw material. - They found that mountains
had been tunnelled, seas connected, and continents at 020
feii swoop, as it were, bridged over with railways as in
America;' and even now the Peruvian G-overnment hnd
a.....ngect for a series of tunnellings through the Amles.
Oar Indian Empire had cost us millions of lives and
miney, and it was the bounden duty of the British GO'
verninent to secure to those vast and valuable possessions
the easiest mid most inexpensive route which that frOn2
Rangoon to Kiang Hung certainly was. •- He also argued
that, for the purpose of opening up and extending our
commercial relations with Unina ana other Eastern coun-
tries, it was most important this step should be taken by
the Government of a country which had brought the rest
of the world political economy, so that otner nations
should not leave us behind them in enterprise and conk
in3rcial_ success.

Mr. JOHN WALKER, of Dewsbury, seconded the motion.
Mr. J. S. WEIGHT, of Birmingham, said he would not
put a direct negative, but would suggest whether it was
nJt undesirable to press this this matter on the Indian
(Mice at present. He doubted whether any company
could be found to undertake the railway, and it there were
they would have no objection to make the preliminarY
survey.

Mr. BONMAN, of Halifax, supported the resolution on
the ground that Leeds, Bradiord, Halifax, and other
great centres of trade were largely interested in the trade
with China.

Mr. D. Lurrort, of Leeds, considered that at least We
should wait until it could be proved that Lord Lawrence
was wrong in his opinion that this question had been brought
forward a generation too soon, tie thought we should
w.lit until public opinion in Burmah and China was more
favourable than it was at present to such a proceeding.
'Tie measure could only be done now by acts of violence
on our part.

Mr. WRIGHT MELLOR, of Huddersfield, supported the
resolution.

Mr. E. Wm:am:tuna-, of Leeds, followed on the same
side.

Mr. WILLIAMS, of Rochester, said a large majority of
the constituencies of Leeds and Huddersfield were in
favour of the route, and he thought it the duty of every
large town of the kind to urge the carrying out of such au
undertaking.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
STAMP DUTIES ON BILLS or EXCHANGE.

Mr. BRUTON; of Bristol, proposed that it is highly desir-
able that damp duties on foreign bills of exchange be assi-
milated to those on Inland bills of exchange; that. a memo-
rial be presented on behalf of this association to the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer and to the Commissioner of Inland
It,,wenue, pointing out the discrepancies which exist at
present in those duties, and praying for their removal, and
that a deputation or sub-committee be now appointed to
take charge of this matter.
Mr. W. H. WELLS, of Bristol, seconded the motion.
Mr. M. P. 141ANFIELD, of Nottingham, moved an amend-
ment that the whole question of the stamp duties be con-
sidered by the Government, with a view of their revision
and consolidation:
This concluded the business of the paper.

'tETAIL TRADERS . AND THEIR ACCOUNTS.
Mr. RICHARDS, of Exeter, rose to propose a resolution
with which he had obtained leave to supplement the
printed list. It was " that all bankrupts being traders
under the Act of 1869 not paying lOs in the pound,
and who have not for three years previous
to their bankruptcy made an annual or bi-annual
statement of their assets and liabilities should, in the
opinion of this Association, be subject to punishment by
imprisonment at the discretion of the judge." The mover
said the chamber which he represented were anxious More
to bring the subject before the Associated Chambers than
to press for a resolution to-day. They found from their
experience that the causes of bankruptcy arising .frona
fraud were absolutely nil compared with bankruptcies
from the ignorance of the retail trader in regard
to his accounts . and the manner of carrying
on his business. It was impossible to make the
retail trader tako stock, as was the practice in larger busi-
nesses, and he (Mr. Richards) was not clear as to how this
could be done. But when this class were found taking
advantage of banking accounts, he thought it shewed that
there was a great advance in that particular branch of
trade. If the Associated Chambers could, when the
Bankruptcy Law came under revision, express their views
on the subject, some good might be done in the matter.
He would merely say that it would be found that a large
amount of loss in bankruptcy cases arose from absolute
causes rather than accidental. In absolute causes, the
bankruptcies arose from the retail trader never having
known whether he was carrying on his business at a profit
or loss. And althobgh it was a small matter individually,
he (Mr. Richards) thought the great trade of this country
W. 13 really founded on its little trades. On these grounds
he hoped the different chambers would support him in
giving effect to the resolution.

- Mr. EDGE (Staffordshire Potteries) seconded the resolu-
tion.

Mr. D. LUPTON said that the matter was pressed on
the Attorney-General some time since.
The CHAIRMAN said that in the Bankruptcy Codes of
France, Russia, and most other foreign countries, the
neglecting to keep accounts was an offence. If the retail
trader paid ten shillings in the pound, of course he heard
nothing of the matter.

Mr. WILLS, of Bristol, said that during the progress of
the Bankruptcy Bill the clause was pressed on the
Attorney-General, and it was well known that he did not
adopt it. He (Mr. Willis) thought it would be somewhat
useless to press it again.
The motion was then put to the meeting and carried
unanimously.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the pie'
ceedings,