The New York herald., 1869-10-11
L M d Z A.

Rum0rs Of War and the Annexation Of Upper
Bprmah by the BritisIi--Dispnte with the
King About the British Agents. Court--peiiti-
cal Condition of Native acknowledgement ed
DesenI of the PRnthGys-DeHth OF abe Rev.
,. L. DonsIass, of fhe American Baptist
RANsooS, Burmah, August g. 1899.
The fnmors that have been noating about for the
past month or six weeks In regard TO a coming war
with the King OF Burmah and the conse-
auent annexation OF Upper Burmah 10 the
British Crown, seem ikeY now 10 be with
cut foundation. The King Of Burmaa has, il Ia
true, done many thugs which, in the paIly
days or the British lion when he was rampant and
greedy and wandered up and down the earth seek
ina what additional territory he could gobbe up,
w0nld have led TO immediate aggression. British
subjects have been imprisoned at Mandaay, not FOR
sny violation OF civilized law, but simply because
their relatives, having committed offences against
Tie king, they are liable by Burmese custom, ~
lone OF the family TO punishment eende-
man named Williams IS now III the an
at Maudalay because his broher VINO had
many business transactions with The KING,
ma WHO was at one time British agent
al bis court, owes the KING some money. The ,me
Thing has occurred IN one OF two other cases during
the past couple OF years. Then bis goaeh-iocted
Majesty has written some very insulting letters 20
anronted the pr9ent agent Captain Sladen And
Bnaiiy he has assumed warhke attitude and has
mustered some thirty or forty thousand men, appar
eni'S with the purpose o. awng the English author
Ites into compliance with hts wish 10 rom
tic of the last treaty that was entered INTO
with him. In addition 10 all tals II IS sai
mat the Europeans at present dong busi-
neas IN Mandalay ale unable 70 walk
The streets in security. The popnaee h0ot
III them as they pass bS and not unire4ueniy attack
them with stones and other missiles, that 10 get
oil with their lives they have TO rush Into ihe nrst
honse with an open door that they dna. AT the
Burmese theatre too, the performances ahoand with
"hIis' at the greed the coWardce the perldy and
ntter baseness of the English and the applause with
winch they received shows the lnveterate haired
OF the ruling powers and their followers to those
vile wii all probability, at no distant date be their
masters. In the old days OF Cleve aud Hastings, or
even Peterborough, many provocations wculd
have led 10 an immediate declaration OF war; But
the times altered, ana the authorities wait
patiently for the day when the KING win again listen
10 reason.
The leading ground OF The present dispute is the
court winch, py the terms OF the treaty Of 1857 was
to be established at Mandaay for the decision OF a
disputes between British subjects between British
subjects and burmese. SO FAR as Brtisifsabjecs are
concerned there is, OF course, no dncuity, but the
King claims that the court deciding between British
subjects and urmese, shall not only be composed
Ot an Engshnan and Burman, but shall also be
governed by Burmese lava concession absolutely
Impossible, since II II be granted, any booa relation
ei European offender or defau.ter. either his wife,
children or iather may be punished Tor his errors or
crimes. his mixed court, therefore, Remains Tor
the present IN abeyance, ami the KING is, clearly
against the spirit OF the treaty pBnishng and dining
Europeans pending its establishment. ltis therefore
plainly 10 1ls interest to hod the matter open as
long as possible especially as being himself engaged
n a
10 be Judge in cases between himself and tue White
merchants. Captain s,aden-wno has personal
ennIity against the ktng because lie latter ola all lie
able to to bring about his murder when lie com
manded the exploring expedition to The Panihay
country last year-3rotests vigorously against the
action (and inactonl OF the Burmese government; bat
ms representations 10 the Indian authorities do not
seem to be much regarded. Inc touncii al Calcutta
arc too scared OF pubic opinion III England TO 20 to
war, even with seml-barbaroGs potiaiate, unless
they are absolutely compelled 10 do 50, especially
as, II they break up Inc existing government IN
Upper Burmah, the annexation OF that country Is
snevitabe; ana annexation Just at present, is rs IS
we'll known, IN great aisia5or WIN the rullng
powers IN Great Britain.
But IL must also be remembered that there Is
great deal to be said IN defence Of the King refer
ence to all the otner charges except that Of the
mixed court The Europeans, wao are all Maudalay,
are, with few exceptions, INSCRIPTIONS swlnders,
who have by fraud or commercial incompetence,
lost all credit IN the principal centres OF Eastern
trade and have, u lost resort, betaken tnenl-
serves to Upper Bufmah, 10 tue hope
AL IN some way cheating the KING. 10
Anake the present state OF Affairs intelligib.e
IL
the business is done, either directly Indirectly,
through the King, VINO Is an absolute despot, anu
way. Nearly all English goods pass through mis-
bands The European traders not being practt-
cary able, owiag to the existing resIio-
lions upon trade 10 make sales to any
body e.se; ami nearly all the exports OF the
country, whch are c1eny timber petroeam, cotton
ana precious stones, are exported 10y the King. la
fact. ne owns the ruby mines aud petroleum wells
absolutely and great part Of me cotton and tim
Der he buys himself from his subjects and
disc. VI course, III transactions 10 vast as
these must be, he frequently needs European
help, especially as nc is not particularly smart, and
In the contracts he makes and the monopolies he
grauts 1t Is only natural that he should frequently
be sw1nded. Tbe fame of some oil the adVenlurers
VINO have taken the advantage OF hlnt III this way
has attracted as choice II collection oi pennlless
rogdes 10 Aandalay az could perhaps be gathered
together, when its distance from the chef GENRES
ot civilization aud vlilany Is taken INTO account.
The character OF these men ~, OF course, dis
covered, and wlen--as they generally do-tney IN
uuige IN swagper and bonbast they sometimes
come into collision with the people. Much of the
reputed .'insecurity Of foreigners lives" may be
traced to THIS cause, VI Ell much Of the disfe
spect shown to the stage Enslishmann III Busmose
theatres
The Williams dinlculty pretty wen exemplines the
complicated nature Vi some 0f the transactions be-
tween the King and Europeans. some two or three
years ago, while Or. Williams was Brush agent
man named D'Aytgior, who was supposed to be an
Italian, came 10 the Kings court. lie represented
himself as an engineer aud az The agent Of Buchanan
a Co., who are contractors, IN London. Having
thoroughly gained the Kings confidence ne maize
habptt VI NVAAKdAtS WIN HtAA Nuu uplallcu an
advance OF half lac rupees S25 000) and parcel
OF rubes, which were probably worth as much
more Messrs. Buchanan Co., on hearing the terms
OF the contracts, becaiHe bankrupt 10 relieve them
selves 0i the responsibility Ol fulfilling thea,
but the King Is unable - near aIJ thing of DAvStor
OF 10 get baek ha money. Nr. Williams, when D'Ayig-
dor was III Rangoon, mad money OF Tie Kings Ia
his hands on account Oi some goods consigned 10
Rang0on, ana unmckiy pad over some oI 1t 10
D'Ayigdor GU tue Kings account. Inc King now
demands the payment Of Ills sum rom Df. Viii
lams, and as the latter gentleman declines 70 accede
TO his demand ne has seLed q Mr. Williams, who ~
tie doctors brother and put AM illa decidedly
Burmese form 0i justice.
However the disputes between the King Of Burmah
and the British government luay end the ultimate
absorption by the latter ii Upper Durmph Il newt.
able. Large European IN eTess m Upper Burman
nave sprung MP, WAieh must be protected
and no other way ot projecting tncm Is possible 50
soon as the KING dies Jhe hlng has some Two score
wives and at least seventy Children ana the num-
befs OF both are constantly increasing, so that
scarcely month goes pI without marriage or a
lLrEIa nra -lnlIL q ~ ~ - -.L 49,.