sufficient, however. This arrangement of running a steamer direct to Kraw from Calcutta would beat the direct line to China, via Singapore, by 93 hours as follows: and would give a regular weekly communication with Calcutta as shown in last paragraph, while the line running via Akyab gives to the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal all the advantages of early communication with home which its western coast enjoys viâ Madras. But the steamers via Akyab should not have to go up the Rangoon and Moulmein rivers, by which means other 12 hours would be saved, making a total saving, even after touching at all the four ports (for Mergui would probably be moved to the Pakchan), of (19 + 3 + 12 =) 34 hours over the Singapore line. Elephant Point and Amherst Point should be the respective ports of call for Rangoon and Moulmein, with telegraphic com-. munication between those places and the capitals of Pegu and the Martaban and Tenasserim Provinces. 9. All the trade between Moulmein and the Straits, for which there is no better mode 9th. Dilates on of carriage than junks aud kattoos, and all the tin found on both sides of the Pakchan, the advantages of in the Seneya River, and indeed all along the coast up to Yea, and which only requires route with reference adopting Kraw capital and labour to develope to any extent, would be picked up at Kraw, while the to trade. labour for the tin mines of the Pakchan, and possibly for the coal mines of Mergui, could be imported direct from China. All the one and a half millions of the Bangkok trade, and that of the Malayan Peninsula on the eastern and western sides, would be intercepted at Tayoung and Kraw; all adjuncts which none of the present lines of steamers obtain, but which would go far to make them pay. Between Moulmein and Kraw, where the coast is profusely wooded, wood fuel might be used to increase profits or decrease expenses, should it take any time to develope the trade carrying on between Moulmein and Singapore. The cost of burning wood on this coast as compared with that of coal, is, as 1 to 10, taking the woed at 10 rupees per 1,000 billets, and coal at 25 rupees per ton, and assuming that 250 billets, four feet long, by four inches diameter, equal one hour's steam, or one ton of coal. 18. It would answer no useful purpose to go into all the figures necessary to establish 18. Considers that even an approximate estimate of the greater profits that would be assured to commerce the proof of saving and to steam companies by adopting the new lines herein proposed, instead of the pre- ment, and time, of fuel, establishsent lines. It was only necessary to take three items-fuel, establishment, and time of will be sufficient to actual running steamers, to prove our po-ition; and if we can show that, by the saving establish value of of the two first of these items, we can establish a communication across the Isthmus of Kraw route. Kraw which shall also beat all present lines in point of the third and most valuable item, time, we think it unnecessary to examine into the contingent savings which, to any one who will give intelligent consideration of them, will manifestly appear enormous. 19. Considers that if the communication by Kraw can be constructed go to benefit of trade; describes mode under a million, all contingent savings of transit from anchorage in Pakchan 19. In the 3d clause of the 17th paragraph we have shown the saving in fuel and establishment of running steamers to be five lacs per annum, representing a capital of one million sterling. Can the communication by Kraw be established within this sum? If so, all the contingent savings and gain in time go to the profit of trade, as well as any difference between the cost of the said communication and the keeping it up. Our consideration of the subject of the communication across the Isthmus of Kraw has brought us to the following conclusions: to Gulf of Siam. boats. 1st. That there should be two or three tug steamers with long flat-bottomed boats to 1st. Two or three carry goods and passengers from the five-fathom anchorage of the large steamers, 26 miles tug steamers and up the River Pakchan, as shown in the sketch map of the Isthmus by the dotted green line, in which distance the river is no where less than one fathom at dead low-water spring tides, with a rise and fall of about 8 feet. Time, three hours towing. 2d. At this point (see Plan) opposite the Namnoi river, a railway terminus and hotel, whence a railway will proceed, leaving Kraw to the north, by Tasan and Tseoompyoon to the shore of the Gulf of Siam. Distance, 50 miles; time, three hours. 2nd. Rail, terminus, and hotel on Kraw side. 3d. Another terminus and hotel, gulf side. Total time for crossing isthnius, 12 hours. 4th. Line single; only one centre station. 5th. Description of boats for river service and car riages for rails and mode of using them. 6th. Our survey necessary. 3d. Allow other six hours for discharging in the Pakchan, and loading at Tayoung on the Gulf of Siam side, where there should be another railway terminus and hotel. Total time, 12 hours, which is more than that required by P. and O. Co., at Suez, on whose arrangements we will suggest further improvements. 4th. There need be only one station in the centre of the line where the rails should be double on either side for the distance of about one mile to allow of trains passing; the remainder of the line may be single, as the Suez line. 5th. The boats of 8 or 10 tons for the river service should form the bodies of the carriages for the railroad service. Patent slips being formed at the Kraw terminus (and, if necessary, also in the Gulf of Siam shore), up which the loaded boats may be dragged on their own wheels, which could form the slip cradles, and the boats could be tacked on to the engine and proceed to the other side without any delay. The arrangements of the boats for goods and passengers is a matter of detail easily managed. There is no reason why a carriage should not be in the form of a boat, especially when time is saved in loading and unloading, and expense in rolling stock. These boats would be at the anchorage ready for the steamers as they came in from the north; when loaded, be towed up to the railway terminus, dragged up the slips, and taken off at once per rail to Tayoung, where there should be a wharf, &c.; the China teamers to lie alongside if there be water enough; if not, the carriages should be launched at once into the sea and sent to the steamers. 6th. We would here observe again that our survey was rough, that we merely passed rough, careful one along the native line (which is well defined, but in many places in the beds of rivers) with perambulator, compass, and aneroid; that our aneroid showed no height above the sea of more than 75 feet; and that our route presented no obstacle of engineering difficulty beyond dips to nullahs, ordinarily 20 or 30 feet wide, with some three or four rivers, from 100 to 200 feet wide, but a careful survey would be necessary. 7th. Only require plant, permanent way, and rolling stock from England. 8th. Gives estimate of rail and river service. 7th. We would, however, recommend very little masonry, though lime and fuel for bricks are in abundance, but the vast and inexhaustible forests through which the line passes are full of timber suitable for sleepers, for bridges, for stations, and wharves, and for fuel for the locomotives. All that would be required from England would be plant, permanent way, and rolling stock; the labour for the work being procurable from China to any amount. 8. We will double what, in our own somewhat experienced minds, would be the cost of such a railroad across the Isthmus,and put down the amount at 5,000l. per mile, including stations, wharves, hotels, coal sheds, &c., &c., and rolling stock, or for 50 miles of rail For the river service three tug steamers, with all the advantages of disconnecting engines, towing with a single hawser, &c., which the Thames' tugs possess, at 15,000l. each £. 250,000 45,000 9,600 27,300 331,900 that steamers will take all competition by sailing or say one-third of a million sterling. But there is the interest on a capital of one million of money saved every year in fuel and establishment of running steamers alone; surely it must be worth while to expend one-third of such a capital in establishing this communication. 20. We therefore think that, without reference to the dangerous navigation, the Straits' 20. Are of opinion line should be abandoned as a communication between India and Europe, and China, as the old Cape of Good Hope line was abandoned for the Suez line. Considering, however, the difficulties of the Straits' navigation, and the peculiarities of the China sea, the steamers would probably do all the work, and take sailing vessels off the field, which they can't do now, because the present charges upon steamers are so heavy, and which will be modified by adopting the Kraw route. vessels off the field. 21. Suggests how new lines of steamers may be formed. 21. The extra service required to give a weekly mail to Calcutta, by a single extra steamer running twice a month between Aden and Point de Galle, might be well undertaken by the P. and O. Company, as well as the whole service (by a larger class of steamer, however, on the China side than that at present employed) between Ceylon and Kraw, and the gulf of Siam and Hong-Kong. The companies running the direct lines of steamers between Calcutta and Hong-Kong, viâ Singapore, and the line between Calcutta, viâ Akyab, &c., and Moulmein might, advantageously to themselves and to the public, amalgamate and run one stenmer twice a month direct to Kraw, to meet China and Europe steamers returning direct to Calcutta, and two, from Calcutta viâ Akyab, Rangoon, and Moulmein, to Kraw, returning viá those ports. The railway should be a separate company, and there should be a condition in their contract (which would scarcely require a guarantee) to that effect. 22. With coast from Moul 22. With these arrangements carried out, we may incidentally mention that the telegraph, 22. Telegraph wire instead of being submarine from Rangoon, should be carried along the coast from Moulmein, to be carried along with a junction with the railway telegraph at Kraw, and also a junction with the Rangoon mein, and not by and Tounghoo telegraph at Seetang, thus giving another line of telegraphic communication submarine cable. with Calcutta, by which English news and China news may be transmitted from Kraw. 23. The arrangements which might he made with the Government of Siam for the giant 23. See no difficulty of land, &c., has not formed a subject for our discussion, as, with the present liberal-minded in arranging a proand far-seeing monarch on the throne of Bangkok, to whom the advantages which must ject of this kind result to himself and his people by carrying out this project will be at once obvious, we see no difficulty on these points. with Siam. it up. 24. We have thus laboured to prove (and we think have done so satisfactorily), that 24. If Great Britain as a mere speculation, the construction of a railway across the Isthmus of Kraw will be pro- neglects this line, fitable; that the communication may be established for one-third of the capital, the interest France must take of which is now being expended yearly on mere fuel and establishment of running steamers, and that a vast amount of time will be saved over present routes; of the political bearings of the subject, we have said nothing; but, holding in view that the line from Ceylon to Cochin China is nearly straight, we are convinced that, if Great Britain does not take it in hand, France must, with every chance of a profitable opposition to the P. and O. Company in their line with Europe to Calcutta viâ Madras. Tavoy, Tenasserim, 26 April 1861. (signed) Alex. Fraser, Captain, TABLES of Great Sea Routes from Ceylon to China and Calcutta, and vice versâ. Saving per annum, after deduction of cost of above line from Saving A.-See 8th Clause, para. 17 3,50,000 3 lakhs nearly • By leaving out Mergui, and establishing telegraphic communication between Rangoon and Elephant Point, and Amherst and Moulmein, the saving of 19 hours may be increased to 34 hours.-See 8th Clause, 17th paragraph of Report. Dated Tavoy, 26 April 1861. Exd.-C. E. Groser. . From Colonel H. M. Durand, C. B., Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Depart- I AM directed to reply to the letter from the Commissioner, Tenasserim and Martaban 2. The Governor General in Council is fully alive to the importance of any practicable scheme, having for its object the extension of trade with China and Siam. But with the information at present before him, as to the political condition of Western China, and with imperfect information as to the practicability and commercial advantages of the proposed scheme for crossing the Isthmus of Kraw, the Governor General in Council would not at present be justified in incurring any expenditure on the scheme. Stili His Excellency in. Council desires that every available opportunity be taken to obtain a knowledge of the advantages of the scheme proposed, and of any circumstances which may recommend it to the consideration of Government. |