The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-27
Object or the Burmese War.
O'yoSt UUTuAooe
OrKNiN0 or NEW OVERLAND TRADE WITH CHINA.
From the London Chronicle, April

OPHNik0 oF NEW OVERLAND TRADE WITH CHINA.
From the London Chronicle April
IL Will he remarkable incident ia tho CONNER
cisi history of Great Britain, if petty war with an
obscure po.ontatc sho uld prove the Of intro
ducing w to traffic which has hitherto eudcd tho
pursuit OF our abest nego tiators and which has
been only known 10 exist as rich and cnvied per-
quisitc OF the Muscovte Empire. The idea Of open
ing an overland trade with China has never, ndecd
been wholly lost sight Of by the Indian government
With this object, tho narrow strip Of territory made
up of what are called the Tenasserim Provinces
which are washed by tho gulf Of Martaban, and
separated from Arracan by the estuary Of tho ira
waddy-was taken from the Burmese at tho closs Of
the last war. With the same view, the ports along
the coast were declared free; and in $780, DIR Rich
ardson undertook acommeroial mission to Zimmay
ana Laeon, for the express purpose Of opening and
stimulating the much coveted traffic. The favorable
report given by that gentleman Of tho outlet for
wooiiehs ana cotton piece goods, which might BIO
opened up IN tho interior, has to some extent been
substantated by the event. and subsequent mi ssions
arc statedt to have examined and extended the field
OIL enterprise almost to the borders OF China
But II does not appear to have occurred to our
negotiators IN 1926, that by commencing operations
at the northeastern, instead Of the western ex
tremity OF Burinah, they might have attained di-
recty ana might have ound ready prepared to their
hands, The trade which they sought TO attract from
long distances and at considerable outlay If tho
reader viii take the map of ASIA and trace the
OF the irawnddy river up to the 9th degree of lat
itude, no viii perceive considerable town, situate
town is Bhanmo, the long established centre of the
trade between tho Burmese and Celestial Empires.
us exports and imports are roughly estimated ut
from E10O, 900 to G700,eJ0. There is an uninter-
r'ipted water carriage to this emporium, tho whole
way from ltangoon though above Anarapoora it is
necessary to employ small boats. The distance from
Rangoon to Ava is varously stated at from $50 to
$40 miles The journey up tho river, in tho dry sea-
son. only occupies eight, and, during the rains ton
days; while the passage down, at the height of the
freshets, has boon accomplished by tho country var
boats in four days.
so much for the facilities of access from tho Bay
of Bengal. Let us now what thcy are from the
opposite sdo. At distance Of less than 300 miles,
to tho northeast Of the townif wo follow the beatea
track-there runs, in u northeastery direction,
through the whole breadth of China to the Pacific
ocean, the great river Yang tsi-kiang, passing Nan
kin in its course, and connected by nnmborloss
feeders with the upper and lower provinces of tho
empire. From tho northwest n multitude Of minor
streams pour down from tina mountains Of Thibst.
Three considerable rivers-ths Salween, tho Menam,
and the Mekon-descond from the Same centre on
their way to Tenasserim, Siam and Cochin China.
In short, so wonderfully has nature marked out
Bhanm0 for an emporium of trade that thorc is
water-carriage from this single spot to all the
tries of continental ASIA south Of the 3ist degree of
latitude, which aro washed by the Pacific. As
might be expected, the varieties of climate in this
vast area produce demand for every species of
c!oth-woollen as well as cotton. But hitherto al
most the only source Of supply has been the Russian
market at kiaktha, in Siberia-a town separated
by tho whole breadth of Mongolia from tho Chinese
frontier, and by distance of from 800 miles from
he provinces adjacent to Bhanmo. With all these
disadvantages, however, the value OF the tea which
the Russian merchants receive in return for their
fabrics has, within the last twenty years, Increased
by one-half.
We have said that Kialtha is almost tho only
source whence woollen cloths are supplied to Mon
golia and Northern China. The exception to the
rule is Bhanmo itself; and, curiously enough such
fabrics us make their way from this point into the
Celestial Empire are of British manufacture. The
Burmah merchants have adroitly discovered the
demand for our goods and are turning profit on
them under our very eyes, while we have been en-
deavoring, by all sorts of artificial means, to force
a market on the senboard at distance Of many
hundreds of miles from our desired customers, and
at the cost of an administrative machinery which
does not pay its expenses. We would draw par
ticular attention to this last point. The time is
past when project for burdenng ourselves with
new and expensive territory could find favor
in this country on the sole pretence that it would
extend our commerce. If we still pay 30 per cent
for colonial trade, we do so on other than mer-
camille grounds-we do not dolude ourselves with
the belief that we are making money by the bar
gain While dwelling, therefore, the opening
which the Burmese quarrel appears to have made
for us in the Chinese markets, we must protest
against the imputation Of advocating territorial
croachment. single additional clause to the
commercial treaty Of 1926, securing to mer-
chants the free navigation of the Irawaddy -wth
leave TO improve, if need be, the communications
between Ava, Bhanmo, and the Yang tsi-kiaag-
would probably answer every purpose. Perhaps,
indeed, two or three more lessons, such rs we are
Golden-footed Majesty becomes perfectly au tau in
international law; but this object surely be
effected without saddlirg ourselves with the costs
and endorsements of annexation.