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“...seen; but one thing is certain, and it is the Sikiang The West
or West Eiver is the natural trade highway of the province of Ri™r ^
Kwangsi, and the only thing that diverted part of the trade h'^hway oT6
overland was excessive taxation on the river itself. Kwnngsi.
For many years the attention of merchants had been directed Reports on
towards the West Eiver, and travellers had from time to time tll.e Wcat
ascended and reported upon it. Of these latter Mr. Michael Kloss, Rlve1'"
who reached Nanning from Hong-Kong in 1870, presented to the
Hong-Kong Chamber of Commerce his " Narrative and Commercial
Report of an Exploration of the West River," the most compre-
hensive of all the reports I have seen, embracing as it does a very
full account of imports and exports and minute details of the
various kinds of taxation to which they were subjected en route.
It was not, however, till December 30, 1896, that the Chinese The opening
Government agreed to the opening of the river, and no time was WeBt...”
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