Star.
London, England, 1826-11-16 00:00:00

NEW TERRITORY IN THE EAST' INDIES.

We extract from the Calcutta Government Gazette the
sfollowingtaccount of our Envoy at the Burmese Court
taking poisession of our newly acquired settlements in
the territories of his Majesty of Bormah:
Our party consisted, besides" Mr. Crawford, of Cap-
tain Studdsrt, the senior officer of his Majesty's Navy, at
Rangoon ; Captain Hammond, of the Madras (barter-
master General's Depattment; the Rev. Dr. Judson, of
the American Mission in Ava ; and Mr. King, Royal
Navy. On the 31st of March, at half-past one in the
afternoon, we left Rangoon, in the steam-vessel Diana,
and at ten in the forenoon, of the following day, reached
the mouth of the Martaban river, distant from that of
Rangoon about seventy miles. Its entrance is not less
than seven miles broad. The month of this river, and
indeed its whole course, to the town of Martaban, is a
difficult and dangerous navigation ; and, until our visit,
the existence of a safe and convenient harbour had not
been suspected. The position of the Cape of Kyai-kami,
as laid down in the Chart of Lieutenant Abbot, led us to
imagine, that shelter might be found behind it, in the
south west monsoon; but we had proceeded in our
course a considerable way up the river, and had a good
view of the land to the south of us, before appearances
rendered it probable that a harbour existed. We fortu-
nately put about ship, and returning, anchored in quar-
ter-less three fathoms, within arty yards cf the shore, in
a clayey bottom. it was low water, neap tides, and the
surrounding rocks and sand-banks were exposed to
view, The first formed a reef of about two miles and
a half in extent, running out in a north-westerly direc-
tion from the cape, and both, along with the cape itself,
which sheltered us from the S. W. wind, nearly land-
locked us, forming, to all appearance, an excellent har-
bour. About a mile and a half to the leeward of us, in
reference to the S. W. monsoon, was the wide mouth of
a river hitherto unexplored.
After dinner our party landed, and began with avidity
to explore the little pepinsola of which Cape Kyai--kami
forms the extremity ; for three quarters of a mile from
the cape land, on the N. E. side, the land was elevated
front ten to twenty feet above high water mark, spring
tides; and on the S. W. side, the whole country is of
that elevation to the distance of, apparently three or four
mile*, where it terminates in a range of hills, between
300 and 400 feet in height. We found the land covered
everywhere with a forest of fine timber, not very thick,
and with so little underwood, that we walked into it
ithout difficulty for several hundred yards. So far the
situation promised every requisite for the site of a com-
mercial town and military station.
On the morning of the sth, we went through the
town of Martaban, a long, straggling, and mean place,
consisting of miserable huts, according to the custom of
the country. It is situated at the foot of a conical hill,
and is said to contain a population of 9.000 souls, chiefly
Talains. The Chinese are very few in number, always
a sure sign of bad government in a country .uostoeited
with inhabitants, and calculated by nature for commer-
cial pursuits. We found the inhabitants preparing to
move across to the Bcitish side of the Saluen. Such is
the poverty, and such are the unsettled habits produced
by oppression, that these emigrations are no very ar-
duous undertaking to the Pegeans. Yesterday, we
heard th rt 1,200 families from the district of Zingai,
with 3 000 head of cattle, had arrived on the banks of
the Saluen, with the intention also of crossing into the
British territory to settle. But these are trifling enri,
orations in compaiison with the great one which took
place from the same place in 1816, into the Siamese
untitory,and which at the lowest computation amounted

Aim. 7.—A party of workmen commenced yester-
day to clear the greund for the military cantonments,
and a road having been opened all round the spot in-
tended for them, we had an opportunity of deciding
upon its eligibility. The whole country, indeed, up w
the hills, and to within a few bombed yards of the Ka-
lyen, is a dry, level, table-land, rising gently in the
centte, than which nothing can be ct.;nceived more
commodious or suitable to the purpose of an European
*ettlement.
In walking along the sandy beach this morning,
unexpectedly met two priests, who readily entered into.
conversation with us, and were very cammbolbative;
They had heard of our projected seltlenietit, find took:
advantage of the circumstance to cheer us in our undtt!
taking, and pay us complitneat at some expense to
their veracity. They said that the place was fortunate,'
that the temple of Kyai-kami was dedicated to the God
of Fortune,which they term imported in their lan :cage.
With more effrontery they added, that they had that
morning perused the sacred books, and that they there
found it written, that a colony of white men would one
day settle in the neighbouring country.
Capt. Hammond 'laving measured the ground with
the perambulator, a matter which was easily effected
along the smooth sandy beach, drew out a plan of the
whole ground, and in the-course of the day we were'
busy in allotting the ground finr the various wants and
necessities of a new town. The north-western promon-
tory was reserved for Government—the high ground,
immediately forming the harbour, was set apart for the
European and Chinese—or, in other words, the cvm-
mercial establishment; and the lower grounds, towards
the Kalyen river, for the native town. Aground plan
of the European town was sketched, composed of ten
streets, with 400 houses, the great front street cAtsisting
lof one row of houses, and containing nineteen lots each,
of 60 feet front and 160 feet deep, being espeally
propriated for principal me:cantile establishments. Im-
imediately behind the town is ground for an esplana.;T,
beyond which, and on the western shot e, are the military

cantonments, and to the south-west of the whole, to-
wards the hills, there is amole room for gardens and
garden houses. Ground for a church—a botanical
garden, and an European and Chinese burying-ground,
are to lie placed in the same situ tti( n. Regulations tot
the construction of the town were adopted, and in ap-
propriating and granting lands, the liberal and com-
prehensive rules laid down by theS ipreme Government
for the flourishing settlement of S ngapore, were as-
sumed for the new settlement.
The Commissioner, on this occasion, :redressed a
Proclamation to the natives of the neighhouthood.—
The following is a literal translation of this document,
which, in its English dress, seems somewhat quaint and
unpolished, although, I believe, well suited to the cha-
racter of those to whom it is addressed :
.4 rat COMMISSION= Or TON a

LL Or

VO VIZ IttLAIMS, AUSKA3II, AND 0711111 WOES Of ?tome :
" In conformity with the Treaty of Peace between the
Governor General and the King of Ave, the English
Government takes possession of the places beyond the
Salien river; and at the entrance of the sea, in the dis-
trict of Kyai-kami, founds a new town.
" The inhabitants of the towns and villages who wish
to come shall be free from molestation, extortion, and
oppression. They shall be free to worship, as usual,
temples, monasteries, priests, and holy men. There shall
be no interruption of free trade; but people shall go and
come, buy and sell, do and live as they please, c, nform-
ing to the laws. In regard to employing the laboarin
people, they shall be employed on the payment of the
customary wages; and whoever compels their labour
without reward, shall be punished. In regard to slaver y,
since all men, common people or chiefs, are, by nature,
equal, there shall be under the English Government,
no slaves. Let all debts and engagements contracted
under the Burmese Government, previous to the war,
be discharged and fulfilled, according to the written
documents. Touching the appointment r f officers and
chiefs, they are appointed to promote the prosperity of
,the towns and villages, and the welfare of the infra.
bitants. If, therefore, they take propt tty by violence.
or govern unjustly, they shall be degraded and punished.
In regard to Government assessments when the country
is settled and prosperous, consultation will be held wins
the leaders of the people, and what is suitable and
moderate will be takt:n to defray the expenses of Go-
vernment. Whoever desires to come to the new town,
or the 'village beyond the Saluen river, under the Eng-
lish Government, may come from all parts and live
happy, and those who do not wish to remain, may go
where they please, without hindrance.
Given at Manahan the 6th of AprU, 1826, and the 14th of the
Wane of Tagoo, 1187"
Upon the commercial advantages of this place, it is
scarcely necessary to insist. Ships, as already said, may
lie within fifty yards of the shore, and within seventy-
five of the merchants warehouses. Sheltered by the
cape, by the long line of rocks to the N.W. of the har-
bour, and by the innumerable sand banks t r the north
of it, dry at low water, as well as by the great island of
Bina, and the continent on the east bank of the Mana-
han river, ships will be in smooth water, except perhaps
for a moment is the westerly monsoons, during high
flood, and when the wind shifts to the west or north
west. In such cases, vessels with slender tackle, or in
a disabled state, may slip with perfect facility into the
Kalyen river, a short mile to the lee of the harbour, then
accessible to merchant vessels of any hurtnen. The
banks of the Salueryas before mentioned, are eminently
'fertile, and communicate by a long navigation with. the
, Burmese territories. The Gain and Atran open A di-
rect inlet course with the Siamese dominions, Wibh Lao,

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