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Arakan: - One Who Preserves and Takes Care of Their Own Nationality. |
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Publication by Arakan Action Association (AAA.) |
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Arakan Past – present – future |
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BY JOHN OGILVY HAY, J.P. |
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Arakan Library was founded by a group of Arakan Action Association (AAA) in exile in Thailand from Burma in 2007 doing to voice for the knowledge, the people democratic and human rights.
Copyright © 2007 Arakan Libray All Rights Reserved. Free counter, Since 2005.
Arakan Action Association (AAA) Chotana Road , Chaing Mai ( 50301 ), Thailand. Email : arakanactionassociation@walla.com , +66—089-637-4383, +66—053-409-577 |
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These old routes are the best indicators that we can point to of the natural direction of trade, and if we shut our eyes to the lesson that they teach us, we may very likely learn it when too late. Looked at from a military point of view, a line from Arakan has many arguments in its favour that are altogether wanting in the case of Rangoon. If it were necessary to send troops with dispatch into Upper Burmah, it would be a question of almost hours by the Arakan route, instead of days by the Irrawaddy; and there is always sufficient means of carriage on the Burmah river to convey the local garrison to the king’s country. We merely mention this to show how complete is the case for an Arakan line, with no desire to forebode evil to his Majesty of the Golden Foot. All that the British Chambers of Commerce care for is, that the trade of Western China should be atteacted to some port whence it can be shipped to Europe …. The time has now come when the subject ought to be fully discussed and something definite determined upon. Peace reigns, after years of warfare, from the frontiers of India to those of China, and the commerce which has been repressed by the Panthay rebellion must now be panting ( It has panted now for eighteen years, and is likely to pant many more unless there is shortly more vigour in our movements, in respect of railway work in Burmah, to give this convenience for trade. ) for an outlet …..
Extract from Letter addressed to the Secretary to the Chamber of Commerce of Liverpool, 27th July 1874. All friends of Burmah interested in the development of its resources must hail with gratification the advocacy which this line of railway (Rangoon and Prome) has received at the hands of the present Chief Commissioner of British Burmah, the Hon. Ashley Eden, C.S.I., and support by every means its completion … It has been urged that with this magnificent water communication (the river Irrawaddy) there is no present necessity for the railway. The expenditure on it might be laid out to more advantage in opening out other parts of the country at present without any means whatever of inland trasit – vide the province of Arakan, which came into our possession after the Burmese war of 1824-26, fifty years ago, and has not now TWENTY miles of even common road in the whole province, and, as remarked further on, we know nothing of our boundary not one hundred miles from the headquarters of the Commissioner of the province; but if Government see fit to give this additional facility to commerce, and it is not allowed to interfere with other work in other directions for the development of the province, why cavil at it? It is only furthering these facilities earlier than actually required. The Rangoon-Prome Railway will serve a double purpose: as a commencement of railway communication between Burmah and India, thereby, ultimately, China with India, and forming part of a great system which must some day be carried out to connect England with China. When completed to China, it will bring in population to our under-peopled districts of Burmah, and, with the connection on towards India, lead such on to the tea-producing districts of Arakan, Chittagong, Cachar, and Assam, - all crying out for labourers. The line from Mandalay by the city of Pagan in Burmah proper, on towards the Arakan frontier, would pass through rich coal and iron fields. To work the latter, a complete plant of all necessary machinery and appliances has already gone out from this country to the King of Burmah for works to be established at Sagain, a short distance below Mandalay. ( Never erected, but left to rust till this present day. ) Here he contemplates preparing the rails to be hereafter used in constructing the necrsary lines to develop his country, rich in all minerals, and with soil and climate adapted to almost all products of the earth. My object in at present addressing your influential Chamber is in view of the approaching meeting of the Associated Chambers at Newcastle in September next, that, should the subject be brought forwards, as it doubtless will be, the present bearing of the question may be fairly shown. As regards the opening of a trade-route to Western China, the Chambers of Commerce of Huddersfield and Halifax and other manufacturing districts, have taken an active part in agitating the question, with the view of giving a new and undeveloped outlet for their productions, which, there is no doubt, it would do. In drawing the attention of your Chamber to it, I would do so with the view of placing before you a PORT, to which to direct your shipping, leading to a large outward trade, with the prospect of corresponding homeward employment. I refer to the port of AKYAB, which must be well known to all Liverpool ship owners as the nucleus from which all the large yearly increasing rice-trade of Burmah originally sprang, a trade which for the last twenty years has given extensive employment to the shipping of a Liverpool. In comparing the distance between Mandalay and Rangoon, and Mandalay and Akyab, it will be at once apparent that the latter is the shorter; besides which, there is no question that in many ways Akyab has the advantage over Rangoon as a desirable port for shipping. In olden times the great bugbear to Akyab, in the eyes of ship owners and underwriters, was the “Oyster Reef,” against which shipmasters had to keep a bright look out. Now, thanks to the executive of British Burmah, under the direction of the Chief Commissioner, Sir Arthur P. Phayre, K.C.S.I., some years ago an extensive system of coast – lights was inaugurated , including a first – class light on the “Oyster,” which is now in course, of construction, and will be of inestimable benefit, not only to the shipping resorting to Akyab, but to Calcutta, and all the head of the Bay of Bengal. Again, Akyab is on the very sea-coast. The harbour in some parts is five miles broad, being the estuary of the Arakan river. Against this, there is Rangoon, situated not only at the head of the Gulf of Martaban, a tedious sea a river, accompanied, of course, by the consequent dangers of river navigation. The latest move with regard to the opening up of this western route to China is the instructions which the present Secretary of State for India, the Marquis of Salisbury, is understood to have sent to India to prosecute the survey of the route to Kiang Hung… Without any desire to oppose this, but believing that Government will only do one thing at a time in this direction, I would day that to complete the survey of the “Sprye route” would, in my humble opinion, be at the present moment money thrown away, and with this opinion I would earnestly urge on you Chamber, and also on all the Chambers feeling an interest in the subject, the necessity of memorializing Government to suspend its prosection for the present. It is a survey of not less than 500 miles, and would, of course, involve a large expenditure of money. If a survey is to be made – and of course such is required – I would with the same earnestness call on your Chamber and others to promote the shorter survey from the port of Akyab to the frontier of our own province of Arakan and Burmah proper. (Not yet done, 1892.) This is not a distance of 100 miles; it would be followed up by the laying down of a line on to Mandalay, passing, as I have before remarked, through rich coal and iron districts, and showing an outlet for the produce of China and Burmah, and an inlet for English manufactures, not two thirds of the distance between Mandalay and Rangoon. Against my proposal it is urged that the range of the Yoma Hills, between Arakan and Burmah, offers a formidable obstacle. This is mere assertion, as although Arakan has been under British rule for half a century, the country is as yet a terra incognita to us; it has never been explored, while against this has to be urged that there are passes in the range through which the Burmese armies formerly came for the conquering of Arakan, and by which communication and trade have been carried on between Upper BUrmah and Arakan. Engineering skill can overcome all such obstacles, and above all, though the line may be at first expensive, it would soon be recouped by the shorter length for traffic. I have endeavored cursorily, though, I fear, at too great length, to bring this view of the matter before you, and if received favorably by your members, would have much pleasure in entering more fully into it, feeling assured that, if carried out, the shipping of your port and the interests of the manufacturing districts would be promoted to an incalculable extent, and that at an earlier date than by waiting for the protracted survey and construction of the “Sprye route.:” I come to this conclusion, and bring to bear upon the subject local experience extending over a period of twenty years, during which time I have been connected with the country by business, and during a large part of that time by residence in it …… P.S. - Since writing the foregoing, I have been given to understand that your Chamber is not in connection with “ The Associated Chambers of Commerce.” I therefore purpose forwarding a copy of this letter to the President of that body.
LIVERPOOL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. The Council of this Chamber held a meeting on the 6th October (1874), at which several important questions were discussed….. Letters were also referred to from Mr. J.Ogilvy Hay, dated 5th and 31st August, enclosing copies of letters addressed to the Chamber, to the Marquis of Salisbury, and to the Association of Chambers of Commerce, recommending that Government should be asked to suspend the prosecution of the survey o the Sprye route for the present, on the pleas of the altered circumstances of our position in Burmah, and the consideration of the local Government that our provinces would be more developed by taking the route from Rangoon via Prome and Mandalay; while at the same time a route would be opened to China equally as good as the Sprye route, and one by which there would be more chance of the Chinese labouresrs coming down into our provinces cying out for labour; that the steamers on the Irrawaddy are already directing trade in the course, and that it has only to be fostered and encouraged that more immediate benefit would be derived by doing so than by waiting for the exploration of the Sprye route, by thich at present there is no trade whatever. The committee had resolved to recommend that Mr. Hay be thanked for his interesting and valuable communication, and informed that in supporting the survey so long promoted by Captain Sprye, they did not consider that the two schemes were necessarily antagonistic, and that the Chamber was desirous that , after considering all the suggestions made by the promoters of the various routes connecting the interior provinces of Burmah and China with the coast, the Government should select the best route.
EXTRACT FROM LETTER TO SAMPON S.LLOYD, Esq., M. P., Chairman of the Association of Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom. London, 4th Aug, 1874. Referring to the communication I had with you a short time since regarding the trade-routes to Western China, I beg to wait on you with copy of a letter which I have addressed to the Chamber of Commerce of Liverpool on the subject. I have addressed that Chamber, having placed my views first before it, believing at the time tit was in connection with your Association. Now, understanding that such is not the case, I would ask you to be so good as receive this letter as equally addressed to the associated body over which you preside. [Here follow somc reinarks on the trade – routes.] I take the liberty of asking if you will be so good as circulate the present communication among the Chambers forming your Association, with the view of having the subject before your annual meeting at Newcastle next month; and should it be desired, I shall at all times be most ready to continue communicating with you regarding it, as I have placed it before the Liverpool Chamber in connection with the further development of the magnificent port of Akyab, one certain to prove of incalculable benefit to the manufacturing and shipping interests of the kingdom.
Extract from LETTER to ------ ------ , Member of the Halifax Chamber of commerce. London, 26th Iune 1874. I would beg to apologise for not sooner acknowledging your obliging letter of 17th inst., and to thank you for your Chamber’s report, received at same time. At present it is said the Government intend to do all the railways themselves; but this is impossible, unless they neglect some parts of the country, ( this is verified by the state of the country at the present day – 1892) and will be a sort of dog-in-the-manger way of proceeding. There was a remark very pertinent to this in Mr.Disraeli’s speech at the dinner two nights ago. He said, “We are opposed to doing that for the people which they can do for themselves.” Has it been put in their power to do anything?
POSTSCRIPT to a LETTER addressed to LORD SANDON, M.P. for LIVERPOOL. London , 18th August 1874. Since writing the foregoing, I have thought it well to accompany the enclosures with a letter addressed to the Secretary of State. I would add that during the Lushai expedition our officers on the northern frontier of Arakan had frequent opportunities of communicating with the wild tribes in their neighborhood, and one or two leading men came down to the station of Akyab, where they expressed themselves to the clergyman of the place as very desirous that the means of education should be extended to them. They are on the whole a very tractable people, and there is a strong belief that more good would have been done towards civilizing them had the money spent on the futile Lushai military expedition been laid out by the pioneer navvy in the construction of a railway, which would have established an influence over them which could never be expected from the sword.
To the PRESIDENT of the Chamber of Commerce of Hull. London, 3d Sept, 1874. I have forwarded to you separately, and now again place before you, some letters which I have addressed to the Secretary of State for India, the Chairman of the A.C.C., and the Liverpool Chamber, on the subject of communication with Western China through Burmah. Much delay has taken place, principally, I think, because the local Government were averse to commit themselves or the Home Government to an uncertain scheme while there was a prospect of a more feasible route being developed. That this is now being one I think is apparent; and should the views I have expressed be concurred in by your Chamber, I would ask your cordial co-operation in urging the Government to give, not pecuniary aid, but moral support in furtherance of the short survey of country between the port of Akyab and the frontier of Upper Burmah, as the commencement of the future great highway to China. The port of Akyab is the finest port in the Bay of Bengal, and, with the trade that may be expected from China and Burmah by the line of railway indicated, would become a great resort for shipping, and should be encouraged by all interested in the mercantile marine of this country. Commending the matter to the early attention of your Chamber in view of the meeting of the A. C. C. at Newcastle on the 22d, I am, &c.
HULL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. A meeting of the directors of the Chamber was held on the 4th September, Alderman Seaton, president, in the chair. The chief subjects which occupied the meeting were the autumnal meeting of the Associated Chambers at Newcastle on the 22d instant, the incorporation of the Chamber, and the important question of the opening up of the west of China by two routes, - one proposed by Captain Sprye and one by Mr. J.O. Hay, F.R.G.S. Letters were read from both gentlemen advocating their particular views, and strongly urging the Chamber to adopt them; but the feeling of the meeting was to leave the question in the hands of the deputation representing the Chamber at the Newcastle meeting.
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