Report on the Railway Connexion of Burmah and China ... with account of exploration-survey by H. S. Hallett. Accompanied by surveys, vocabularies and appendices

Front matter

REPORT ON THE RAILWAY CONNEXION OF BURMAH AND CHINA, BY ARCHIBALD R. COLQUHOUN, A.M.I.C.E., F.R.G.S., M.B.A.S., GOLD MEDALLIST R.G.S., ETC.; DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, BURMAH, AND HOLT S. HALLETT, M.I.C.E., F.R.G.S., M.R.A.S., ETC. ; WITH ACCOUNT OF EXPLORATION-SURVEY, BY HOLT S. HALLETT ACCOMPANIED BY SURVEYS, VOCABULARIES, AKD APPENDICES. SUBMITTED TO HEB MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE BE1TISH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. Xon&on : ALLEN, SCOTT & CO., 30, BOUVERIE STREET. E.C. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE. 1. Personal 3 2. General Considerations 8 3. General Geography 14 4. Best lines for connection of India and Burmah, Burmah and China 16 5. Principal routes proposed for connection of Burmah and China 18 li. Maulmain route : why chosen 19 7. Brief description of Maulmain route 20 8. Rival routes outside Burmah examined 21 9.

French projects to secure trade of South and South-Western China 24 10. Railway race for trade of South-Western China 26 11. Climate and rainfall 27 12. Character of people 28 13. Population, resources, and trade 29 14. Caravan trade in three South-Western provinces of China 33 15. Cost of carriage in South-Western China and Indo-China 33 16. Prosperous condition of people 35 17. Varied character of markets 36 18. Best through line for local traffic 36 19. Cost of proposed line 36 20. Time for completion 37 21. Methods of construction 37 22. Concluding remarks 38 23. Appendix 39 24. Resolutions of Chambers of Commerce 43 LIST OF MAPS. 1. Map of Indo-China, showing proposed Buimah-Siam-China Railway. 2. Map showing proposed connexion of India and China.* 3. Map showing proposed extension to Central China.* 4.

Map of the Yangtsze river, from Tung-Ting Lake to Chung King.* 5. Section of Bhamo-Yunnan Fu route. 6. Section of Maulmain- Yunnan Fu route, via Raheng, Ssu-mao. 7. Map of Meh Kong valley, from Kiang Hsen to Kiang Hung and Ssu-mao 8. Survey from Lakon to Raheng (by Dr. Neis). 9. Parts of Burmah, Siam, and the Shan States (Mr. Hallett's survey) 10. Eight route-maps. 11. Mr. Colquhoun's route from Ssumao to Tali-Fu. * By permission of the Council of the Royal Geographical Society. REPORT ON RAILWAY CONNEXION OF BURMAH AND CHINA.

Introduction

. PERSONAL. This report is the result of six years' study of the question, prosecuted both °p&^ of Ex: 1 _* _■ j. ' _r ploration,ana in the field and at home. In 1879, one of the authors (Mr. Colquhoun) accomconnexion of v J. / authors with panied a mission from the Government of India to Siam and the Shan State of subject. Zimme (Chieng Mai) ; in 1882 carried out an exploration through Southern and South-western China* to test the capabilities of that region for the extension of British trade; in 1883 addressed the leading Chambers of Commerce and •organized an exploration-survey, supported by certain Chambers (London, Manchester, Glasgow, Eangoon), and by the Government of Singapore, for a ■comprehensive examination of the country between the Burmese littoral and South-western China. Application was made to the Government of India for a •contribution of £3,500, and for leave on full pay during the period of exploration.

Sir Charles (then Mr.) Bernard, under date 23rd September, 1882, wrote: " I shall be prepared to advise the Government to pay you a certain subvention for every mile of route survey you can furnish them between Bhamo and Yunnan, and between Yunnan and the Tonghoo border, via Ssumao and the Shan country." Early in 1883 Sir Charles wrote : "I have recommended that, with the sanction of ELM. Government, diplomatic efforts be made at Peking .and Bangkok to secure for you permission and safe conduct for your proposed reconnaisance. Further, I have recommended that, if permission and safe conduct be secured, the Indian revenues should contribute £3,500 to the cost of your undertaking, provided that private merchants or others interested in the matter contribute a like sum. I have asked that you be allowed the pay of your grade and to count the time as 'service' while you are engaged on the reconnaisance."

The Government of India declined to sanction the proposal. The Explorations was therefore in 1884 carried out by Mr. Holt Hallett, so far as the funds subscribed would permit, namely, through South-eastern Burmah, Siam, and the Siamese Shan States. In both cases the authors had desired to accompany each other in the field, but were prevented by unavoidable circumstances. Mr. Crosthwaite endeavoured to support the Exploration from the funds of the Port Trust of P.angoon, which sanctioned a grant for the purpose, but found himself unable to do so on account of legal technicalities. The results of the Exploration are to be found in the Surveys (reduced in Results map No. 9), the itinerary, and the appendix containing vocabularies. The ° tamed' * Vide Proceedings, R.G.S., 1882 ; also " Exploration in Southern and South-western China," from Supply Papers of the R.G.S., vol. ii., part I. ; also " Across Chryse " (English, American, French, and German editions).

Mr. Colquhoun was awarded the gold medal of the R.G.S. t Vide. Proceedings, R.G.S., for January, 1886. " Exploration-survey, etc. " ; Report to Foreign Office on Indo-Chini, dated 20th April, 1885 ; addresses to various Chambers of Commerce; and account of Exploration-survey, attached to this Report. Visit to Siam to interest King ir project Memoran dum submit* ted to King of Siam. character of the Survey is shown in the following report by the draughtsman of the EojTal Geographical Society on the subject : — " I have the pleasure to enclose a statement of the plotting of your Survey in the Siamese Shan States, wliich you will find of considerable interest. The total length of the Survey amounts to 1 ,250 miles, of whicli 706 were performed on elephants. " Owing to your observations being made at very short intervals, it was found necessary to plot the whole of the Survey on a large and uniform scale, which, when reduced to the scale of 0-2 inches = one mile, and laid down by the latest astronomical position, gave the correct scale of the original plotting,. as shown in the annexed statement, averaging 5T inches = one mile ; exclud ing, of course, the journey from Muang-Haut to Bangkok (down the river, crossing rapids, etc.), wliich was made under different conditions.

" I feel sure you will be surprised at the striking uniformity of the scales, the most remarkable of which are those of the journey from Zimme to Kiang- Hai, distant by road about 100 miles, and back via Lakon, a distance of about 200 miles. The circuit, when plotted from your field-book, proved to be not more than 1*2 miles out. Another journey from Zimme to Ban Meh Hang and back by the eastern route, each about 85 miles distant bj*- road, gave a gap in the circuit of only 1"7 miles. It proves, therefore, that you have succeeded in estimating the rate throughout with astonishing accurac}', and kept the field books with very great care. I must confess that during my long experience I have never met with any Survey executed with only a prismatic compass and watch which has given such highly satisfactory results.

" The heights given on the maps in feet were obtained by the aneroid, and checked by boiling-point observations at halting places. The numerous inter mediate aneroid heights given in your field-books, showing only slight inequalities of the ground, have not been inserted, as they would overcrowd the map. No notice has been taken of the geological formation and flora of the country, which are given in your field-books. You will doubtless tabulate the same with the description of your journey." On the completion of the work in the field in 1884, Mr. Cokpihoun, who was employed on a mission to China,* joined Mr. Hallett at Bangkok, and both His Majesty the King and the Foreign Minister, Prince Devawongse, were inter viewed by the authors, with the view of interesting the King in the question of the connexion of Siam with Burmah, and the opening of Siam,by railways, and to solicit support of the continuation of the Exploration-Survey, and the following memorandum was submitted to His Majesty on the subject : — "To H.K.H. Prince Devawongse.

"July 10, 1884. "1. The general project for the opening of Siam by railways, and its con nexion with British Burmah, originally advocated by me, has, I believe, been brought to the notice of His Majesty the King of Siam by Prince Prisdang. The scheme at first proposed has been considerably modified, and I have come to Bangkok in order to lay before His Majesty the project as it now stands, and to solicit from His Majesty support of the Exploration-Survey in the shape of a money grant. * From 1883 to 1SS5, as Special Correspondent of the Times. " 2. Lines proposed. — The lines which I would now propose (as shown on rough index map now submitted) comprise : (1) main line from Bangkok to the North of Siam ; (2) branch lines to Luang Prabang and Korat ; (3) branch Une from North Siam to British Burmah, to effect junction of Siamese and British Burmese railway systems.

" 3. General advantages of Railways for Siam. — It is unnecessary, in sub mitting such a project for the consideration of His Majesty, to dwell at length upon the general advantages attending the introduction of railways into a country like Siam. I would ask permission, however, to refer briefly to these. " 4. The principal advantages are — " (a) Commercial. " (b) Administrative and strategical. (a) " The commercial benefits to be derived are best reahsed from a con sideration of the results of railway construction in a similar country, namely, British Burmah. There the first railway, constructed from Kangoon to Prome, although carried parallel to one of the first waterways in the world, and having to compete with a magnificent flotilla of steamers, has met with marked success, paying nearly five per cent, on the capital cost.

" The basis of a system of railways for Siam should be the development of the existing main trade arteries, which — whether road, river, or canal — are failing, or disused. The trunk hne of the first importance on this account is one carried up the valley of the Meping, which at present, for any considerable transport, is not only insufficient, but may be termed practically useless. A waterway which only permits light draught boats of two feet, and on which the journey from Bangkok to Chiengmai (Zimme) takes three months, and the return journey one month, may fairly be considered valueless for the carriage of any traffic worthy of discussion. (b) " Apart from the advantages to be gained from a rapid, cheap and secure means of transport, there are other cogent reasons for the introduction of rail ways.

The improved administrative control, the social benefits to be derived from the employment provided through new regions opened up for the partially employed and poorly-paid portion of the population, the augumentation of revenue by the more direct payment of duties and taxes, and the increased means of the people to pay, are among the results certain to follow. "For political considerations, the invaluable uses of railways in time of threatened or actual war are now fully recognised not only in India, but in China, where recently the first railway has been sanctioned, and is likely to be followed soon by others. The railway always follows close upon the introduction of the telegraph, and the telegraph is now carried over some 2,000 miles in length of China, and is being pushed on with vigour.

I have recently had the honour of long and intimate conversations with His Excellency the Viceroy Li Hung Chang, and in his opinion the value of railways from a strategic point of view is so great that he believes that had railways existed from Central China to the south, there would have been no Tonquin question. " In opening these high roads for administration and commerce, in the introduction of foreign capital and foreign interests of various European nations is to be found the wisest and safest means of defence for Siam, as for China. P.ailways would mean the consolidation of the Empire, the death-blow to the autonomy system, the prevention of rebellion, and the surest safeguard against the aggression of any foreign power. " 5. Particular Advantages-(a) Commercial.-To deal in somewhat fuller detail with the question of advantages, I would point out that the population of Siam •exceeds that of British Burmah by at least three times,* and that the Mepmg Valley, from the observations of Mr. Hallett, who knows Burmah well, contains a population three times that of the Irrawadi.f If, therefore, a railway run up the Irrawadi Valley was remunerative, it may be argued that one up the Meping would pay.

From the experience of Mr. Hallett and myself in other countries, we are of belief that the line would pay certainly as well as the Eangoon-Prome line. " ( b) Strategic. — As regards the political value, Siam, like China, has now a conterminous frontier with France, with this difference, that the Franco- Chinese frontier is 300 miles in length, while that of Siam and France measures more than twice that amount. The importance of having places like Luang Prabang and Korat linked on by railway with the capital is self-evident. " 6. Methods of Construction. — There are three methods commonly employed in the construction of railways — ■ " (a) By State or Government construction. " (b) By concessions (land, etc.), and a small guarantee. " (c) By a considerable guarantee, pure and simple. " 7. Should His Majesty sanction the introduction of railways, it will be for His Majesty to decide on which sytem they should be constructed.

If by either the second or third, a private company can be formed in London, I believe, to undertake the enterprise on moderate terms. " 8. Value of Surveys. — Surveys are the first essential in any question of this sort, both to the Government whicli has to decide its merits, and to the company which is to offer to undertake the construction. The value to Govern ment of accurate information in the shape of surveys, whether from a revenue, administrative, or political point of view, is self-evident. At present it has an especial importance for Siam. " 9. Cost and Grant ashed. — The estimated cost of the explorations and surveys proposed, conducted on a scale which would result in a valuable map of Siam, as well as detailed information as regards the railway question, is £7,000. Half this amount has been subscribed by those commercially interested in the development of the Burmese and Siamese trade.

I would submit this my application to His Majesty for a grant of the other half, namely £3,500. " 10. I would respectfully submit to His Majesty that, even if the railway project should not be carried out, the information contained in the survey-maps and reports, whicli will be a certain result, amply justify the support asked for. I would point out for the consideration of His Majesty the fact that the greater part of the work will be within Siamese territory. The examination of 1,500 miles of country, just concluded by Mr. Hallett, proves that the existing maps are altogether misleading and inaccurate. * Subsequent information has led us to believe that the population is about twice that of Lower Burmah. •J* i.e., along the water-ways. "In conclusion, I beg to inform His Majesty as an earnest that, if the support asked should be given, the work will be faithfully carried out, that neither my colleague Mr. Hallett nor myself will draw any pay from the Exploration Fund, our services having been volunteered for this work, in wliich, as His Majesty is aware, I have taken interest.

" I have, etc., "A. K. COLQUHOUN." Copies of the memorandum were submitted through our Minister to the Foreign Office and to the Government of India. Keceiving no pecuniary support either from the Government of India or the King of Siam, the further prosecution of the Exploration-Survey had to be abandoned. During two years spent in China, from 1883 to 1885,* Mr. Colquhoun had Mr. Coiqu opportunities for drawing the attention of the public at home to China, and did public atten - . . t /~rt • i • • ■ . . i • _.• ti°n *-° China, his utmost to interest the Chinese authorities, with whom he was on intimate and interests relations, in the question of railways, and the connection of India and China by authorities in telegraph and railway. A scheme of railways was drawn up. The Viceroy Li rai ways' Hung Chang entrusted to Mr. Colquhoun a mission to Lord Dufferin proposing the connection of India and China by telegraph across the Burman border.

The chief results of the exploration and inquiries made in Siam and interest Burmah have from time to time been laid before the leading Chambers of commercial Commerce by the authors, and the deep interest taken in the question is andunanJ' evidenced by the numerous resolutions passed by the Chambers (some S°press.PP°r of which are to be found in an Appendix), by the large meetings addressed at the industrial centres, and by the unanimous support of the Press of the country. In this Keport we have endeavoured to concrete our labours and briefly formulate our conclusions so as to bring it within the power of everyone — statesman, politician, merchant, manufacturer, or working man — to examine and comprehend the subject. * As special correspondent of the Times. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. Various causes have of late years conduced to compel the commercial community to consider carefully the position of Great Britain in the inter national commercial contest.

Among those have been the general very grave depression of trade, the hostile tariffs enacted against our goods, and the activity of our Continental neighbours and rivals in competing, not only in manufactures, but in the carrying trade and distribution abroad. The hunger for new outlets, the result of the inadequacy of the home markets for the growth of their manufactures, has resulted in a scramble for colonies, where tariffs unfavourable to England will in most cases be enforced. It has at last begun to sink into the minds of Englishmen that the industrial States of Europe have during the last twenty years relatively developed their foreign trade and mercantile marine more rapidly than ourselves. There can be little doubt that Continental trade is now entering on another new phase, by which our extent of business and profits will be still further reduced.

Having succeeded in manufacturing, our European customers are now striving hard to become the carriers of raw materials and goods, in competition with England. The development of railway and banking facilities on the Continent has contributed considerably to the means of working this change, while the opening of the Suez Canal and Alpine tunnels has facilitated the diversion of traffic from British ports. The growth of Continental ports, the improvement of their dock accommodation with increased facilities for loading and unloading vessels, the long hours of labour, the modicity of wages, a familiarity with the local language, and a certain patriotic preference for dealing with their own countrymen — the combination of these various causes has led to an increase of trade in foreign ports alarming for us.

The search for and annexa tion of new markets has now become a prominent phase in their programme. We have until the present time proceeded on the old, comfortable, easy system of permitting things to arrange themselves, and the only policy, or what has taken the place of a policy, has been laisser aller. This was possible while markets were to be had at will, and customers more numerous than producers. But now, with overstocked markets at home, our population increasing, and hemmed in by competition and hostile tariffs on all sides, we must not only reverse this easj'-going policy, but throw ourselves into the struggle with our utmost energy and intelligence. There is room here in abundance for drastic reform. The only remedy for this state of affairs is to discover new customers who are to be found in new markets, and in developing those already existing.

These areas for the extension of our commerce are to be found in the colonies and in the unopened markets of Asia and Africa. The value of British colonies and possessions is not even yet recognised by the mercantile and manufacturing classes of the country, still less by the working man. They are by far our best customers. It should be our policy to foster and develop the increasing trade with the colonies and British possessions and to open new markets. Fortunately some of our possessions are so placed as to be not only contiguous to, but in advantageous positions to serve as inlets and outlets to, vast countries which are as yet practically unopened, thus presenting a parallel to the geographical position of our isles, by which in the past our commerce has so greatly profited- Our colonies and possessions, with their variety of soil and climate, happily produce the six great articles of food and raw material essential to us — corn, cotton (raw), wool, sugar (raw), wood, tea; and under conditions enabling them, without any undue favour, to compete with foreign countries in supplying us.

Not only this, but they form the great receiving ground for the expansion of our population and manufactures. Before considering where new markets are to be found, let it be understood that there are two classes of such markets — i.e., (1) immediate markets, those now ready for opening ; (2) markets of the future, those requiring " education " in civilized wants. The great new field for our commerce lies in Eastern Asia, where the markets are ready for immediate development, offering present relief, while in Africa and New Guinea are to be found markets requiring " education " — markets of the future. Valuable as these in time will be, they are altogether dwarfed by the large and lucrative outlet for our trade in Eastern Asia, the most promising to be seen in any part of the world. This latter includes China, Corea, Formosa, Indo-China (including Siam and the Siamese Shan States, Malaya, Upper Burmah, and the Burmese Shan States) and Tibet.

In Eastern Asia the markets of the first order are China and Indo-China. The others are of secondary importance. Compare these Asian markets with Africa. In Africa you have a population of savages, slothful ancl degraded, poor and unclad ; in China and Indo-China educated races, whose civilization dates back far before that of Europe — races for the most part energetic, sober, hardy ; clothes-wearing, tool using, trade-loving, and industrious people ; many of them possessed of a considerable degree of affluence. In vegetable and mineral wealth these lands are unsurpassed. At present little of this region is touched by European manufactures, owing to the enormous cost of inland carriage, which prevents machine-made goods from competing with hand-made native manufactures. It has increasingly been the object of the British commercial communities Burmoo J J Chinese for the past fifty years to open up the Shan States and South-west China to our trade. commerce.

As late back as 1829* Lord William Bentinck, and in 1836 Lord Auckland, interested themselves in the question of opening communication with the Shan States and South-western China. In 1861 Sir Arthur Phayre, the first Chief Commissioner of Burmah, recommended the sanction of a survey to Kiang Hung,* and in 1866 Lord Sahsbury, then Viscount Cranborne, acknowledging the great importance of the question, sanctioned a railway survey to China, which, however, was not carried out.f In 1869 the Duke of * He later, on several occasions, pressed for sanction of the survey. I* In 1867, Lord Salisbury wrote as follows in a despatch to the Government of India : — " I am unable to Parliarnen concur in the reasons which induce you ' to deprecate even the probable expenditure which a preliminary survey of the tary Papers country would involve.' I find, from the report on the administration of British Burmah for the year 1865-66, that the " Rangoon " ' surplus of revenue over expenditure in that province was more than six lakhs — £60,000 on a gross revenue „ j Western of 100 lakhs — £1,000,000; whereas, for the same year, the surplus of revenue over expenditure, throughout p,- ,, ,™ the whole qf India, was estimated at but two lakhs — £20,000, on a gross revenue of 47 crores, 47 millions .a' YYa-j sterling.

Thus, even allowing for the contribution to central expenses due from British Burmah, it is evident that an "SSSlonslotM. additional half-lakh may, without injustice to the rest of India, be for two years spent in an undertaking which will be productive of benefit to that province. The papers, which I have received from you, do not permit me to doubt that much benefit may be anticipated from any measures tending to facilitate communication between British Burmah and Western China." * * * * " Looking at these opinions (Sir Arthur Phayre's), and bearing in mind the enormous advantages which have resulted from the establishment of communications in cases where a far smaller amount of traffic had previously existed to encourage the undertaking, I retain the opinion that, both in the interest of British Burmah and England, this survey should be carried forward.

I have, therefore, to request that you will act on the instructions contained in my former despatch of the 29th of September, 1866." Argyll sanctioned a survey between Tonghoo and Kiang Hung, if it could be carried out without pohtical complications or undue expenditure. In 1874 Lord Salisbury once more sanctioned a survey to Kiang Hung or some point near it, to use his own words, " both in the interests of England and British Burmah." No survey, however, was executed beyond our boundary until in 1882 the exploration of Southern China was undertaken by Mr. Colquhoun, followed by an exploration-survey of Siam and the Shan States organised by him and carried out by Mr. Holt Hallett. Value of n.e. Burmah, we must remember, is our gate to China, the barrier which blocked dian frontiers our approach from the Indian littoral has been broken down, and therefore our consi ere north-eastern Indian frontier is of vastly greater commercial importance to us than our north-western one.

Compare the two for a second. On the latter the railways are mainly strategic and political, hardly in any sense meant to attain any commercial object ; they are defensive, and lead to barren regions. On the former we move towards a friendly and peaceful Power, offering us new markets, with well-founded hopes of vast future expansion, for the opening of such markets must lead to an enormous development of our mutual trade. Three great Three great Powers now divide the greater part of Asia between them — Asiatic -*-,-■■_-« tor . pewers. Britain, China, and Russia. With 268,000,000 Asiatic fellow-subjects in India, we are as much an Asiatic as a European Power. Russia makes rapid advances with her railways, and thus spreads her power commercially and politically in Advances of Asia. With the Russian line from the Caucasus and the Caspian gradually India and extending to our Indian frontier, and from the Caspian to the Persian Gulf, with a Trans-Asiatic line being extended through Siberia to Vladivostock, skirting the frontier of China's northern possessions, Russia is wisely connecting Central Russia with the two extremes of her possessions, and placing herself in a position of great advantage with respect to China and India (and therefore Britain), the two other great Asiatic Powers, and all countries bordering India.

Action of France, although not a great Asiatic Power, possesses one-third of Indoindo-China. China, and intends to do her utmost to secure the trade of the neighbouring countries — Southern China, Siam, and the Shan States — by connecting them with her ports by means of railways. The effect that such action will have upon our prospective trade with these regions, unless we at an early date take similar action from Burmah, may be judged from the outcry now being made by Hong Kong and Singapore against the protective tariffs placed on all foreign goods entering French Indo-Chinese ports, with the avowed intention of excluding foreign commerce in order to benefit that of France.* Value to The vast importance to this country of closer relations with China, not Britain of . . . closer reiaonly from commercial but political considerations, has during the last, few vears tions with . .

J China. * The Singapore Chamber of Commerce has addressed a letter to the London Chamber on the subject of the new tariff in the French possessions in Indo-China, imposing heavy duties on imported goods of other than French origin. . . . . It is said that the general French tariff is to apply, but the Singapore Chamber gives some examples whicli show that it is not possible to discover any principle either from dimensions, number, weight, or value of the goods on which it is applied. Six-pound grey T-cloths selling in Singapore at Idol. 15c. a-piece have to bear a duty equal to 45c each (nearly 40 per cent.) ; white shirtings worth 3dols. 50c. pay Idol. 30c. (about 37 per cent.) ; white Madapollams worth Idol. 30c. pay 32e. (about 24 per cent.) ; matches worth lSdols. to 20dols. a case pay lldols.

(55 to 61 per cent ) • and betel-nut, an article of native consumption, worth 4idols., pays about Idol. (22 per cent.). These duties the Singapore Chamber says, are altogether prohibitory, as they are probably intended to be, and unless some modification or abatement can be procured the flourishing trade between the Straits Settlements and Saigon will be destroyed A shipment of cotton goods worth 2,400dols. sent as a test venture from Singapore to Saigon bad to pay duties amounting to 900dols., or 37J per cent. Trade between the two ports has therefore entirely ceased, although Saigon has hitherto been largely supplied from Singapore. In return Saigon has sent rice, salt fish, and hides. The Chinese in the Straits carry on this trade for the most part, and if they are prevented from paying for these things with cotton goods a great shrinkage in the trade both ways is inevitable.— Extract from "The 'London and China Telegraph" of Sept. 19, 1SS7 grown greatly on the nation.