The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-10-24 00:00:00

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21th, 1885.

THE NEW CLOUD IN THE EAST.

A QUAI:11 EL between Inde-Burmese traders
and the half-se.Nage sovereign of Upper
Brirtnah, King Thebaw, has assumed such
e.erioes proportions that the outbreak of
bosti!itici; has boen deemed imminent. Los-
in 7 sight of the actual occasion of the diffi-
culty of the hour, or regarding it as little
better than a bagatelle, there. are those
mong6t ns who, blinded by the Empire
spirii, at once suggested British annexation
of the troublesome territory affirming that
therein lay a short solution of present com-
plications, and a certain safeguard against
future disputes It is a convenient theory
for Irunge:ers :tiler ever-increasing teiritory
to adopt, that immediately the Government
of a State at all eolith:Lions to our great
Eastern dependency gets into an embroglio
with British subjects on some inter-current
matter, we -ought to hasten to assume that
Ouch State is impotent to conduct its own
affairs properly, and by sheer force set up a
suzerainty over its dominions for India's
Safe t y n d its minor neighbour's good. Bat
such an ideal of international morality is,, to
say the least, a most unworthy one, and one
moreover that, carried into effect, would not
fail to bring in its train a catalogue of re-
venges. An indulgence in this unjust policy
of imperialism and ceaseless acquisition of
territory would certainly provoke the antag-
,(mism of other great Powers, and involve us
in war with the mightiest nations of Europe,
possibly leading up to a world-wide appeal
to arms. International jealousy naturally
resents the swallowing up of little kingdoms
by their powerful neighbours, and so pre-
Vents might entirely overridinc, right. It
is well so, or we might revert to the state
of things which obtained when Rome was
the world's mistress. The restless thirst for
wider empire should be sternly denounced
whenever it is evinced. Justice should be

the arbiter always in these matters. Instead
of mo-fing to annex without troubling with
enTairy any troublesome little country, we
should use our power generously, and insist
on a fair investigation into all the circum-
eutustances of the case. If we find it is our
swa merchants who are extravagant in their
detnanZE•.,we should administer becoming re-
buke to their extortionate spirit; if, on the
other hand, we discover that the traders have
a legitimate grievance, and have been dealt
with arrogantly and unjustly by a self-im-
portant potentate, then we are strong enough
to insist upon a proper remedy without
having reeourse to the extreme measure of
annexation. In Mandelay, and, indeed, all
Upper Burmah, it seems that the majority
of the people are favourable to the cultiva-
tion of trade with British Burmah and
India, and anxious to maintain a friendly
spirit to the promoters of commerce gener-
ally; any hostility or unreasonableness being
confined to the wrong-headed action of
Thebaw and an Extreme Party Hostile
action on the part of the native government
toward the Chief Commissioner of British
Bnrmah would, it appears pretty plainly,
not be approved by the bulk of the popnla-
'Eon of Upper Burmah, as represented by the
party of progress headed by the Prime Min-
ister of the country. England can require
firmly that any irreconcilables in high places
should be deposed; and, to protect British
interests and minister to the welfare of
native Tharmah, assist that country to govern
itself ; but we earnestly deprecate undue or
unjust interference in the spirit of conquest.
It might seem superficially glorious to over-
ran the troubled territory with India's
army, and float the British flag from the
Bay of Bengal to the Chinese Border, and
from Assam to Siam and Tonquin, but what
would be the result? The holding of the
forcibly-acquired country by military pres-
sure on the population, and, at the sword's
point also, against the certain resentment of
France and other Powers only waiting a
pretext for quarrel with England. At the
contemplation of such consequences we may
M6ll pause ere we allow the clamour of the
Tlombay-Burmah- Trading Association and
f_4 head 1.):1; precipitation of conquest-lovin-
',lists at home to clte-v us into actin!,
-L he bat die rou gits. N
witich eottld _ o one
a
,iblv be necessary
o• y nia7 • •qi
trnbko bmin•z 10", 1 Hfisenigti-'
=ia fli tcrees of right and fairneci4 ';-
'beyond t.lut dictates of right we must no!
-a:asatee a single step. If King Thebaw and
• tieino of his rash advisers are mad enough
'cloak to measure their puny strength
. sgninst the might of British India, who can
doubt the issue? The military resources of
f,lio Madras Presidency, added to the forces
in British Burmah, would probably prove
amply sufficient to cope with any difficulty
which could arise in the way of settling the
dispute on the lines of justice to all concerned.
True, Sir Frederick Roberts, who might
have been confidently entrusted with the
handling of any necessary expedition, has
just quitted the Madras command; but there
ans others skilled in Eastern warfare to take
his place, and the new Indian Commander-
In-Chief would be yet available to direct
operations if the situation assumed a critical
aspect. Then we have Viscount Wolseley,
whose baptism of fire was received in Bur-
mah, to give counsel and assistance should
matters reach extremity. Both Sir Fred-
erick and Lord Wolseley are here in Eng-
land now, and will doubtless be called to the
aid of the Indian Government in deliberating
on the difficulty, and their intimate acquaint-
co with matters Burmese will be invalu-
ab!e. It is to be hoped that, for his own
sake and for that of his; country, as well as
in the interests of ludo-Burmese commerce,
that 'Ling Thebaw will cease to dream of
defiance to her Britannic Majesty; but will
. yield proper facilities to traders generally
and give a fair and just reply to the demands
the Bombay-Burmah Trading Corporation,
in so far as those demands, on investigation,
to be in themselves fair and just. If
Thebaw elects to do otherwise he will as-
suredly reap the whirlwind.

FAIR WHITH HANDS.
BRIGHT CLEAR COMPLEXION
801,T HEALTHFUL SKIN
r7AR.4' AOl, for,Toilat ar,d tinrsery, specially prepared
for the delicate rk"n of late t and clithiren and °Viers
tv,nsitivo to ste weist'ler, trinter or grimmer. Prevents
redness, roaghnes. , and chapping. Bold elrerywhe e, in
Tiolett, IF 04. c-b. D1A...0r giaire, la 6•1 and 2s 61.
1114 pr,)fsasion arcflOW orth!ring CLDBUZY'a
Pa.:scat:l slv.,ussa:lLlg of cases, because it contains
ra,ies n.ft-it4OrtA Af44 desl..f•-.irrniug elements than any other
1,111,- it I•e-lforahIo to the thick. starchy Cocoa
(.r.4tnriiy Ll. When you ask for CALZbury's Cocoa
sari :Ist you get it, as shopkeepers often push
I.ottleos for ti,e solr:',3 or extra prodti. Makers to the
Pm it Depot, 'AC, F.=.nnorougli St. Hor.dre.
n7ll, Tyzi-ru I Potter pAy Lal/-&.nrOall to
f.,-; t.,N;tls.. 'nix tit and ktap, flour tutk than
e..1-w-ercveg ta a Lieutist tiud len thear. Titneol cures the
3.!*, Ti'd'",na,,Nourligia, sant n,..arly every case of 'l',.eth
l ;3,1 epubdilv. Italia is 1000(1 la
risid by s:r Chenahibt and Patent Medicine
•
• " Putt fro 2. ;AI in stamps or
0
• - auura(turkri,(hirke,bl_amutle
.Liell and.
Co, InrS.
Ai:mi(a/T. IlivrOrfaACe of
fit.4).A.41,0 s‘i ess4 he 6.10cd wLth ease and
se 1. ..Le as ,el2l,ltifully tweet, whole-
ireab ate %ea br•eses, by using
....VA-id ISc, .voi4 g all risk ..f contagion
will. 'a ceded s+ ..sucdrlet, or a.eri it.. wash.
its Li pal oat N. x.4lll#sir haYing ot tae clothes by
14444,145
bud tubbing, scrubbing,
e.isavg., The Dirt slips awry, cud near
11" tear. kbaur aud fuel t-re saved. txtract
of
504 p
is a
pare Lty EQap, in fine powdtr, rapidly
Nolubl•, lather% steely, battens water.. ti.ifeati Lisrd-
rt miter !W..; ,s Co wtlrr bc.p. a '-••‘-''"*" Soap. a
L alvallto I•rni!', a "V, Or ld
-v. tylittrie. i «c:•lma, One P.uny and UP"".

GOLD, SILVIGH, OR BRONZE PAINT, for gild
lag all kinds of ornamental work. Of all chemists' at
6(1. 0? bald from VIXIALS BIOthilt1)130h1 Co,
11'•