'Volume II. MEMORANDA REGARDING OTHER EXTERNAL AFFAIRS. 1905.' [‎68v] (141/228)

exceeds the average of the years 1S99 to 1903,
inclusive, by Rs. 3.34,000. The year 1904
has been excluded from this calculation, as
trade was practically at a standstill during the
first nine months of it.
The export trade has been handi
capped this year by want of transport. The
military operations connected with the Tibet
Mission last year caused many Tibetans living
on or near the line of march to evacuate their
cultivation. The line of march being the
chief trade route from Lhasa, Shigatse,
Gyantse, and the whole area from which the
trade under review is drawn, the supply of
fodder for ponies, mules, donkeys, and the
other transport animals has been this year
much below the average. Consequently the
cost of transport has been high. It seems
clear that the stock of wool in Lhasa,
Shigatse, and other places is at present con
siderably more than is usual at this time of
the year. In these circumstances, it is probable
that the exports next year will be larger than
they have been this year.
The imports contain greater value in pro
portion to their bulk than the exports, the
latter consisting chiefly of wool, the former
of cotton and woollen manufactures. The
transport difficulty has, therefore, affected
imports in a much smaller degree, the only
difference being that fewer animals have
returned unladen from Kalimpong this year
than was . the case in previous years. The
effect of this may be seen in the large import
this year and in the extent to which it has
exceeded the export.. It is unlikely that the
imports next year will be much larger than
they have been this year, since the demand
for Indian goods in Central Tibet, though still
strong, is not as strong as it was last October.
Since, however, transport is likely to be
cheaper and more plentiful, and since the profit
on the trade between Kalimpong and Tibet
has always been good, there may be a slight
increase. °
9 - A Chinese official who has been sent
irom Lhasa to inspect the Chinese Post Houses
along the road, called on the British Trade
^ %antse on the 6th July. This official
from CHnn r PS ^ n ° W ^despatched
from China to converge upon the Batano
district from three different directions—from
hungpan and Chengtu in Ssuchuan, and ate
from Yunnan—to the number of 7 500 alto
gether, and it is rumoured that, after reducing
Batang to order, these troops will advance v
iar as Chamdo in Eastern Tibet. There are
even rumours that they will come as far as
and^l'afslenhi 4 t 6 ^ ^ between L hasa
ana. xa-tsien-lu is m a vppv rKa+n l ^
state, and no Chinese officials can at present
pass along it, hut the Chinese post is allowerl
to pass as usual, with the exception <2