The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-02


Alpine ranges It Is clear that the Himaaya range
and It's o1shoots may AFFORD ample ground LOT Inc
most energetic OF explorers for many generations
trust some Of our visitors may be able TO
give US late and detailed accounts OF what Mr.
Cooper has done, and proposes TO do, towards
exploring the almost unknown region which
he has already so vigorously attacked rom
various directions. Though he has not hitherto
succeeded In trayersing the inhospitable couh-
tries between Bengal and China, the energy.
and Judgment with which he has fepeaIeo
and varied his efforts must sooner or later lead TO
important discoveries aud trust that his repeated
disappontnents may nnd compensation IN the NIL
mate solution OF what may be regarded at present
as the great geographical problem OF that part OF
ASIA The association will rec0llect that the latest
intelligence regarding the course OF the SanpoO-
in course nearly parallel TO the general direction
OF the mann Himalaya range-has revived former
discussion as 10 whether that river Is the upper
stream OF the BramapoOtra or or the lrrawady
The suppOstion that 1t was identical with the Ira
wady has long been considered as set at rest, anu
some OF our best authOrties-such as Drs. HOOKER
Thompson and Campbell-wOuld, Ibeieve, scout the
notion that there was any present doubt on the SUD-
lect st i IS certain that some Chinese . ana
that the SanpoO Is the upper stream OF the Ira
wady, and we are almost destitute OF any &C.
pootra much higher up than the Ludiya. 1t
is clear, then, that there is need Of further In
curry before the question can be saa TO be nnay
Their down, between Burmah and China, tends to
show that 1t would be unsafe to dOgmatlze TOO con-
hdently as to the impossbiity OF any theory. how
ever improbable 1t may prinsd Nacie appear to be.
Thus unless there be msprint in the published &C
counts OF Captain sladen's expedition he ascsr.
tanned Momein, one OF the furthest points reached
the Burmese and Chinese frontier, to be 5000
feet above the sea-an elevation hitherto, believe,
quite unsuspected. 1t Is true that the somewhat
doubtful course Of the four great rivers the IRA
wady the Salween, Cambogta and the Yang tse-
kang, which are represented on our latest maps as
nearly parallel and frequently less than sixty miles
apart would indicate streams lowing In deep
gorges like the upper course OF many OF the rivers
winch have their source in the Hmaiayas and sepa-
rated probably by very lofty mountain ranges; but
hitherto the data for mapping out the course OF these
may hope that future attempts to penetrate In this
direction from Burmah Will meet with better success
than that OF Captain Sladen, who has, however,
brought back Information Of considerable value, and
which may aid future explorers TO renew their at
temDts with better prospects OF = complete and
The glory OF being the first, IN modern days, &C.
tually to traverse the almost unknown region be-
tween the HlndO-Cninese races and China proper
has been reserved Tor our neighbOrs the French.
The fellows OF the Geographical Society Will rec0
est me q ns OF this
president in hls last anniversary address, wherein
Sir Roderick Murchison described the general course
journey OF 600 miles from the tidal waters OF the
CambOgia river to Shanghae, 4S0 miles OF the dis
lance having Deen on alS
ttrey new to modern European travellers. am
not sure whether we are likely to hear from any OF
our visitors any details OF this expedition beyond
what mas been already published in the French
geographical periodicals, but we cannot doubt
that whenever the scientific results Of SUCH q
journey are published they VIII prove Of surprising
interest country rich and varied in soil, with
rain fall probably In parts exceeding that OF al
variety OF temperature, which mas been hitherto
almost cut or from civilized Europe, while 1t ap.
Interesting regions or India and the Eastern Archi.
pelagO, must possess fauna and fora Of great
novelty aud interest. Nor 1t be doubted that all
these attempts to traverse the regions which sepa-
rate India from China have political and social
aspect Of the highest importance. 1t ID clear that
the time has arrived in CHINA when we may witness
one of those great social movements which In all
ages have 80 powerfully affected the destnies OF
nations and the geographical distribution Of races
cOveries IN South Africa, which would be made
known to the section, and expressed confident
eventually make his way from the interior OF the
country.