The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-18 00:00:00

nmpiluz.

This extensive country of Hindostan is bounded to the
north by the great mountain wall of the Himalayas,
which separates it from Thibet ; to the south the Ne-
paul territory reaches about twenty miles beyond the
base of the mountains into the plains, being bounded by
the provinces of Delhi, Oude, Behar, and Bengal, with
the exception of about 60 miles of territory belonging to
the Nabob of Oude, which intervene ; to the east the
river Mitchce separates Nepaul from the British terri-
tories, and thence it is bounded by the principality of
Sitlkim, which extends to the Chinese frontier. This
estimate includes the conquests of the Ghoorkas made
within the last 60 years. The Alpine region belonging
to Nepaul is about the same breadth, of 30 or 40
miles from north to south. Scattered peaks are here seen
covered with perpetual snow, and the region consists of
immense rocks rising into sharp peaks, mid tremendous
precipices almost always involved in clouds. Some of
these mountains are estimated to rise 19,960 feet above
the valley of Nepal The Nepaulese give the most

exaggerated accounts of their own population ; they
reckon their population by houses ; to Patan, their
largest town, they assign 24,000 houses, to Bhatzong
22,000, and to Catmandoo, 18,000. This would give a
population Of 64,000. There are besides, many large
villages and towns scattered about Kirtee-poor, contain-
ing 12,000 houses, besides a multitude of others contain-
ing from 4,000 to 6,000 houses, all within the valley of
Nepaul. But this gives a population that sets proba-
bility at defiance. Kirkpatrick's estimate lowers the
population of Nepaul to half a million of souls.
With regard to the military, the whole of the people are
subject to service in times of danger, though they are
not regularly trained. But there is a standing army
dispersed over the country, besides a large force always
in the capital, amounting to 30,000 or 35,000 troops :
these are regularly trained, and officered like European
troops, and affect their dress and arms. The Govern-
ment of Nepaul is essentially a despotism, and is good
or bad according to the character of the reigning prince.
The public revenue is derived from land rents, customs,
fines of various sorts, and from mines. According to an
observant traveler, however, and who sreaks from good
authority, the revenue actually remitted to Catmandoo
never exceeded 30 Lacs of rupees (35,0001.), but it some-
times fell to 25 Ines. The trade must be stated as far
from extensive, but would be so if conducted under proper
regulations.

BURMILH.

The Burmese territories, according to their settlement
since recent conquests, may be estimated at an extent in
breadth of about 350 miles, and in length of nearly 700.
'The area of the country is conjectured to contain 184,000
square miles ; that portion of the kingdom farthest re-
moved from the capital is divided into provinces or
royalties, but of the extent or power of their rulers little
is known. Another and More common division is into
myos or townships, of which, according to native state-
ments, 4,600 are contained within the limits of the Bur-
mese empire ; but the truest conjecture, perhaps, is that
which reduces the number of townships to 163, and the
villages to 1,300. The Burmese territory is watered by
four great streams, namely, the Irrawaddy ; the
Setang, called also the Lokiang ; the Saluem, called
also the Pegu ; and the Kyen-dwen, a tributary
of the Irrawaddy,
is the only low-lyng portion of the Burmese territories;
this tract extends along the Indian Ocean about 240
miles, from Cape iThe tract along the sea-coast
Negrais to the new British settlement
of Amherst, near Alartaban and at the mouth of the
river Saluem. All this coast is low, marshy, and broken
by at least twenty channels of rivers, or arms of the sea,
but these are choked by sand-bank 4 and cannot be en-
ured by any vessel of burden ; hence there are only on
the coast the three harbours of Martaban, Rangoon, and
Bassein. The most considerable tribes of Burmah are the
!roper Burmans, the Peguans, and Talains, the Shans, or
people of Lao, the Cassay or' Kathe, the Zubaing, the
Karens, the Kyens, the Yo, and the Laira. The popu-
lation has been grossly exaggerated by the ignorance of
Europeans, who have raised it to 17,000,000, 19,000,000,
I and even 33,000,000; on the best data, however, it appears
reasonable to infer the true number to he 2,414,000. The
taxes from which the public revenue arises are in general
rude and ill-contrived expedients for extortion: one of the
most common is a house-tax on the cultivation of the
soil. The internal trade of the country centres chiefly
in Ava, the capital, and the seaports of Rangoon, Tongo,
and Bassein. One of the most important branches is
that carried on with the Chinese province of Yunan, in a
course of annual fairs, the chief of which is held at
Bhamo : the y a
early value of this trade is estimated to be
from 400,0001. to 700,00 sterling. The foreign trade
of the kingdom, carried on chiefly through the central
port of Rangoon, is with Chittagong, Dacca, and Cal-
cutta, in Bengal ; the Nicobar Islands and Penang ;
also occasionally with Bombay, and with the Persian and
Arabian Gulf. Gold and silver, among the exports, espe-
cially from Bassein • and by the overland route of Arra,
can, amount to the annual value of 65,0001.
The principal imports are cotton piece goods. The .