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SIKHIM 159

1,921 of unmetalled roads and paths. The road via Nushki to Persia was opened during 1896.

The North-Western railway, which has the standard gauge of 5ft. 6in., enters Baluchistan near Jhatpat and crosses the Kachhi plain to Sibi, where it bifurcates, one branch going by Harnai and the other by Quetta, and re- unites at Bostan, whence the line runs to Chaman. A line of railway to Nushki 82½ miles long, which cost about 7,000,000 rupees, was opened for traffic in 1905. A survey for a short line from Khanai to Hindubagh, a distance of about 45 miles was carried out during 1908-09.

There is a complete and frequent postal service in British and adminis- tered territory, extending to Kalat and through Nushki to Seistan in Persia.

A network of telegraph wires covers the north-eastern portion of the Province and extends to Kalat, and westwards via Nushki to Killa Robat, where it connects with the Indo-European system, while a further line laid down in 1907 connects India with Persia and Europe, via Las Bela, Panjgur, and Nok Kundi.

Agent to Governor -General in BalucMstdn. — The Hon. Lieut.-Col. J. Ramsay, C.S.I., CLE.

Works of Kefkuence.

The Administration Report of the Baluchistan Agency. Annual. Calcutta.

Accounts relating to the Trade by Land of British India with Foreign Countries. Annual. Calcutta.

Census of India, 1911. Baluchistan.

Aitchison's Treaties.

The District Gazetteers of Balucliistan.

Floyer (E. A.), Unexplored Baluchistan. London, 1882.

Holdich(Sir T. H.), Tlie Indian Borderland. London, 1901.

Hughes (A. W.), The Country of Baluchistan. London, 1877.

MacGregor (Sir C), Wanderings in Baluchistan. London, 1882

McLeod Innes (General J. J.), Life and Times of General Sir James Browne. London, 1905.

McMahon (A. H.) and Holdich (T. H.), Papers on the North- Western Borderlands of Baluchistan in ' Geographical Journal.' Vol. ix. pp. 392-416. London, 1897.

Masson, A Narrative of a Journey to Kalat. London, 1843. — Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan and the Punjab. London, 1842.

Oliver (E. E.), Across the Border, or Pathan and Baluch. London, 1891.

Eonaldshny (Earl of). Sport and Politics under an Eastern Sky. Edinburgh, 1902.

Thornton (T. H.), Life of Colonel Sir R. Sandeman. 8. London, 1895.

SIEHIM.

An Indian feudatory State in the Himalayas, bounded on the N. by Tibet proper, on the E. by the Tibetan district of Cliumbi, and by Bhutan, on the S. by the British district of Darjiling, and on the W. by Nepal. Extreme length from N, to S., 70 miles ; extreme breadth, 50 miles ; area, 2,818 square miles.

In March 1890 a treaty was signed by the Viceroy of India and the Chinese representative, by which the British protectorate over Sikhim is recognised by China. The British Government has direct and exclusive control over the internal administration and foreign relations of Sikhim. The Maharaja, after having declined to comply with the conditions, lived for some time under surveillance in British India, and in 1895 was allowed to return to Sikhim. The members of the council carry on the administration, with the assistance of the British Political officer.

Population, in 1911, 87,920. The people are known to their Gurkha neighbours as Lepchas, but call themselves Rong-pa. Principal towns are Gangtok, the capital, Rhenok, Pakyong, Lachcn, and Lachung. The religion is Lamaism.

The gross revenue now averages 14,500Z. The Kazis exercise a