Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-07-13
INDIA-TIbET TRADE
Hinduism Highway Now
to Be Completed.
Project Is Taken Up by the
Indian Government.
The Relations Under The New Treaty
Make Good Start.

Calcutta, July 1.-THE new Tibet |
treaty has stimulated the completion
of an enterprise commenced more than
half a century ago. but subsequently |
abandoned when the Lamas broke Off
All relations with the Indian Govern |
ment Steps are being taken to hnlsn |
the construction Of the Hindustan ana
Tibet road, projected and put in hand
i'm the fifties of the last century by the
Marquis of Dalhousie, with the double
object of providing work and re-
lnuneration for the hill people ana
coolies, who were then subject 10
forced labor. imposed upon them. In
pursuance of ancient custom, by their
petty rajahs and chiefs; and supplying
a means of communication for COM
merce with Tibet, which. sulphur,
China The idea Of the governor
general was to build a good ana
substantial highway up to the
Tibetan frontier at Shipki. Com
mehce with Tibet, which consisted
chiefly in wool, borax, sulphur.
charras, tea, minerals and silk, had
hitherto been mainly in the hands of
Russia, and Moorcroft and other trav-
| of trade between India and Tibet so
as to enable Great Britain to compete
in so promising a market. Lord
| Dalhousie conceived the idea OF pro-
| noting this trade by permanently inn
proving the route from the indian
| plains through the valley Of the Suite
to Tibet The character Of theads
road can be realized whe'"r In 1917.
the narrative of Gera"A 'iie traveller
in which it is sta.,dhoiiii's Oh shak-
had TO walk sf F With. no sunn ~, pc per-
ne IN into the. rock, while in |
-. Darts the road was intorrunted |
fragments of a granite avalanche
on one occasion Gerard writes: II
went frequently up the face of a bare !.
rock, inclined at an anglo OF ~ and
without any cavity for the feet; here
the utmost caution was necessary. |
there being n frightful precipice on the |
left, and l was often obliged to crawl |
upon my hands and feet at a very slow |
pace
The present road, as aligned and
construed by Lord DalhOusie, starts |
from Simla and passes through the |
Mahasu tunnel, made through the spur |
of Il steep. mountain 2la miles from
Simla. 1t then leads by picturesque |
route past Phagu. where, in the morn
ing especially. a magnificent view is |
to be had, the snowy range stretching |
along the horizon, a grand and Strik- |
ing panorama. A few miles beyond |
Kotghur, or about sixty miles from /
Sima, the road joins the valley of the
Sutlej. which may be heard roaring at
a distance of 1000 feet below tine
village An abrupt ZiZ-Zag DECENT Oh
$500 feet amidst beautiful WOODS Oh
pine. oak and yew, leads - the banks
of that noble stream, TIE longest of the
Puniab rivers. An admirable descrip-
tion of this part of the route is fur
nished by Car.ain Gerard, who about
the time of ale battle Of Waterloo was
uIwtereT. at Kotghur Fort, in COM
rar3 @ two companies of a Nussori
| battalSn
Afr following the left bank Of the
| riy.tfor about twenty-four miles Ram
pvr y reached. This is an important
| tfademart 1t is built on a terrace and
\ Suut gorge of the mountains, and
| with curious slated roofs and rock gal
| leriS92s Il distinctly Tartar-like appear
! taips dch frown above it leave SO mar
row usage for the river and the suns
|
\ visn't ween eleven and three O'Clock
prhe 'onas population of three thou
sanu, "carries on trade with Tibet
! i.a an sh: kuln. chiefly In ,'pashm. or
tine snwool of the Tibetan goat.
Thers iSe local manufacture of the
iiti no,pur chuddars. which with
Gt aT, otnd wool forms par, part Of The
q Samn,T Tibet being also brought
- the TIaips,d sold to the merchants Of
SAWS. IN plain Lang in his report
~ one cntinf mber there appears to be
and rats flock of millions of sheep
Pansf' T., ending from Rampur to
heT h Eo l,lifcant, though the fairs
ant. AtWafr and May ~ are sn import.
and ioT9 t,a y ige WHY a road branches Off.
way of tas p,niwest into Spit, leads by
Pass toSrdsa i-acha or the Parang La
A fewhiIH n and Yarkand.
the road(ers India comes into view.
the Rogi W. Iheeen here blasted through
Sea 'i level toni 1000 feet above the
persevera X ohnent not only of the
q the ski p te eng'neer wbh but d,n also
blasts. ,sHpiizzy prnacles boring for
the abyss, 2 . narr s,"nI blanks n oyer
In ona a nar, sonidsearceIy find footing.
of 1900 feet, r. 2 psrpendieular drop
| when The fr5zy that the brain reels |
been daSc,;hser gales down. 1t has
the world - one. of the wonders Of
where Tho ~ making. Beyond Rogi
mile throurhAy is; blasted for half q
emerpeS go ty steep cliffs. one
est on ono Ssant.ful country, a for
Other .nd tha he snowy peaks on the
This bun~aIns," allow of Chini in front.
| oujs ~ boibnrs occupied by the Mar
and the rains OF we not seasoIi
reacbinr III hea Ten miles before
was r,,co,S,I,r Fat cantilcver bridge
Sutlej and was rSSeS u arr"ss tue
spring triumph oInt % an ;,H IN,
in the antn,nn ., ths opened for traffic |
Hawling returned Ibis ro,,te ~ od ipdin
t hnt .h unfortunately ned to be of no use ,