Sir Bartle Frere, in a paper on "Geography" read before
the British Association on Saturday, made a suggestion which, so far as we can remember, is new, and will have results. People have discussed the prudence of making a road from India to Western China too much as a matter of finance. He thinks that if made a portion of the overflowing population of China would instantly pour into Assam and Pegu, where we have vast territories want- ing only population. That is true, for it has happened in Siam, and such an immigration would enormously increase both our revenue and our security. Regiments of Chinese Sepoys would just counterbalance regiments of Hindostanees. But has Sir Bartle considered what, when we have filled up these great valleys, is to become of the yearly increasing number of Bengalees? They are multiplying till half our social difficulties arise from the competition for farms, and the only outlet for them is the region the Chinese are to take. They can press westward, to be sure, into the jungle, but they will very soon fill that up.
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