WILLIAMS, Clement.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Through Burmah to Western China First edition, first issue, of this account of efforts to link Britain's Indian possessions with China. Williams proposed a trade and telegraph route stretching from Rangoon through Sichuan to Nanjing and Shanghai, as well as a telegraph connection from Mandalay to Calcutta. A second issue has a letterpress note from the publisher, dated December 1868 and apologizing for an error, tipped in opposite page viii.Clement Williams (1833-1879) "joined the 68th Light Infantry as an assistant surgeon and was sent to Burma in 1858. After mastering the Burmese language, he was posted to Mandalay, Upper Burma, by 1861, where he gained the friendship and trust of King Mindon by treating various members of the royal court for cataracts and other medical issues. Because of his extraordinary access to the King, Dr. Williams was appointed 'correspondent' to the Chief Commissioner of Lower Burma, Arthur Phayre, and in 1863 he was elevated to the position of Political Agent. As such, he was involved in the negotiation of the commercial treaty in 1863 and played an active role in the economic and political development of Upper Burma" (Royal Ontario Museum).In 1863, Williams received permission from Mindon to seek a trade route from India to China via the Irrawaddy, relying on Burmese guides to obtain navigational information and sketch maps from local communities. While unrest on the Chinese border prevented him from reaching his destination, his published accoun

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.