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little the character of a river, but of a capacious inlet of the sea. To this distance we carried not less than four fathoms water, but for the most part six and seven."

Major General Tremenheere, adverting to his interview with an officer of the Siamese Goverment on the south bank of the Champon, about five miles above the part where it flows into the Gulf of Siam, observes, "The river is about 180 yards broad, running through a level country over a sandy bed, free from obstructions, and with a rise and fall of tide of about six at the springs."

It appears by the plan which accompanies Major Tremenheere's report, that the PakChan flows into the Bay of Bengal, is accessible at any time of tide, and affords secure, well sheltered anchorage, in both monsoons, to ships of the largest tonnage. This noble river separates the Siamese territories from the southern boundary of our Tenasserim provinces.

The British district of Malewan on the north bank of the Pak-Chan, is immediately opposite to the proposed western terminus of the railway. The climate of Malewan, Major General Tremenheere remarks, "more resembles that of Penang than any other part of the coast. It possesses a rich moist soil, highly favourable to the cultivation of sugarcane, betel nut, nutmegs, &c." The Malewan district, with its headland, Point Victoria, being only two miles distant from the south bank of the Pak-Chan, on which the line commences, there is probably no sensible difference in the climate and soil of the two localities.

Lloyd's, 29 December 1859.

(signed)

Hy. Wise.

Mr. Hammond to Mr. H. Wise.

Foreign Office, 2 January 1860.

I AM directed by Lord John Russell to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 29th ultimo, requesting that Her Majesty's Government will support your projected railway across Siamese territory to connect the Bay of Bengal with the Gulf of Siam, and I am to state to you, in reply, that Lord John Russell has forwarded your letter, and the papers by which it is accompanied, to the office of the Secretary of State for India.

Mr. J. C. Melvill to Mr. Wise.

India Office, E. C., 20 January 1860.

I AM directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 29th ultimo, regarding your scheme for constructing a railway across the Isthmus of Kraw.

Sir Charles Wood has desired me, in reply, to state that Her Majesty's Government cannot fail to take a warm interest in an undertaking which would produce the advantages you expect from the connexion by railway of the Bay of Bengal with the Gulf of Siam. But I am desired to explain that the “ support and encouragement" of Her Majesty's Government could not be given in the shape of any pecuniary contribution or guarantee.

(Foreign Department.-No. 65.)

EXTRACT LETTER from the Government of India to Sir Charles Wood,
dated 22 May 1862.

WE have the honour to forward a copy of a letter from the Commissioner of the Tenasserim and Martaban Provinces, dated 10 June 1861, submitting a report of a journey made by Captain Fraser and Captain Forlong across the Isthmus of Kraw, and a scheme for opening up communication with Bang-Kok and China by that route, instead of around the Malayan peninsula, together with a copy of our reply, addressed to the Chief Commissioner of British Burmah.

2. In 1858, Mr. E. O. Riley, deputy Commissioner in Pegu, proposed the eonstruction of a canal across the Isthmus, but the time was considered inopportune for entering on such a project.

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