The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-27
BURMAH..
The Complications Between England and
the King of Rurmah.

I'M. X. Herald,l
or the many present sources Of disquletude
to the rulers Of the British Empire, not the
least Is that which has suddenly arisen In
the extreme East; and M for for which Lord
Should tho Burmese crisis result In war
against the monarch Of the Golden Feet, the
contests In Iululand and Afghanistan will be
eclipsed by struggle OF still greater proper
tions and of more doubtful Issue. OF the
ultimate result In Zululand no one entertains
any misgiviDgs, and the only cause for url-
easinesa In Afghanistan lies in the POSSIBLE
ties OF Russian interference. Burmah, how
ever, Is fat greater, richer and more civil
lied power than Afghanistan and its annexa-
ton would advance the British lines to the
| Chinese and Siamese frontiers q proceeding
which neither Of those empires IL likely to
view with indifference. Already some
alliance have reached London and ruflled
the tranquility Of Downing street. Great
Britain has already had two wars with
Burmah, the first In 1926. resulting In the
acquisition Of the opulent provinces Of As
sam. Aracan ana Tenasserin; the second in
1859, when Pegu or British Burmah was an
nexed. with the great seaport OF Rangoon.
By the latter war the Burmese Lord OF the
Universe" was cut off from the seaboard and
| his once broad domains were sadly curtaied
both inIdimensions and In wealth. Since that
time the monarch of Mandalay has chafed
| under the consequences OF defeat and has
eagerly hoped for time when he could re-
gain possession OF the opuent markets Of
| Pegu. Meanwhile clique at Calcutta and
Rangoon has been looking forward with no
less eagerness to the fulfilment OF that
manifest destiny" which precipitates Brl-
tish India eastward upon the Chinese EN-
pire, Siam and the Malayan peninsula.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMPIRE.
The Empire Or Kingdom Of Burmah Is
mountainous region, which bears the same
relation to the great river Irawadi that Egypt
bears to the Nile. Its present area Is esti-
mated at 100000 square miles, about the same
as that of France or Germany, and its popu-
lation at 100000. 1t is one of the most fer
tile regions Of the gloDe and the most pro
ductive OF precious stones, especially rubes
and sapphires. It's petroleum wells are IN
nous throughout the East. The dominant
religion Is the Buddhist. The labors of Amer-
Adoniram Judson early in the century. have
converted TO Christianity great numbers IF
Burmese subjects, especially among the
Karen villagers of the northwest. The whole
Bible was many years ago translated into
Burmese by Judson and into the Karen lam
guage by another American missionary,
Francis Mason. For these reasons the reli-
gious world 10 the United States has long felt
a deep interest In Burmah, and the
Gospel there IS household word 'h s
thousands OF American families through the
biographies Of Judson, of Madison, of Board
man and others. In more recent times Ru-
man Catholic missionaries have made good
progress under the guidance Of the venerated
Bishop Bigodet, an eminent scholar in Budd-
hist antiquities and In the Pail or sacred lam
guage OF Burmah. In its palmy days the
Burmese Empire stretched over vast regions
which have been wresttd from 1t by adjacent
States or have become nomtnally independ-
ent under the protection of the government OF
Calcutta. The modern history of Burmah
dates from about 1854, when Alompra, a vii
lage chieftain. overthrew the dominant Pc.
quans and founded at Ava the present royal
or imperial house. Alompra carried his con-
quests far into Siam, taking the King OF that
country prisoner, and about 1888 one Of his
conquered the Siamese provinces
of Merqui and Iavoy, now part OF British
Burmah. The first formed relations of the
Lord OF the Universe with the viceroyalty
OF India were In 1911, when he demanded the
cession of several districts of Bengal, not far
distant from Calcutta, on the ground that
they had once formed part OF the Kingdom of
Ava. 1t Is needless to say that this auda-
cious demand was refused
GROWING COMPLICATIONS.
IL Is needless here to set forth the compli- |
Gated causes Of the Burmese war of 1S24-26, |
when Lord Amherst intrusted Gen. Campbell
with the campaign of invasion. Gen. Camp
bell gained victory at Prone, a former capt. |
tai Of Burmah, and concluded a treaty in 1926
by which, as already mentioned, the British |
added Assam, Arracan, Tenasserm. Mergui, I
IavOy and Ye to their trans Ganetic domains |
The war of 1852 So was chiefly owing, to the
Kings ambition to recover Rangoon, but the
result was adverse. The King suleny re-
fused to treat for peace whereupon Lord Dali
nouse, the Viceroy Of India, simply annexed
The remainder of Pegu and Withdrew his ex-
oeditionary forces. The British leaders were
zen. Phayre and Col. Friche, and the diplo-
matte negotiations were largely conducted by
Jol. Henry Yule, the eminent geographer,
Who published. In 1858, what is still the stand
lrd work on Burmah. In subsequent years
here have been serious discussions between
he courts of Calcutta and Mandalay, the
modern capital of Burmah, arising from the
efusal OF the Burmah monarch to facilitate
he opening OF trade routes to China The
ronbles with the various expeditions headed
~ Col. Browne, Major Sladen, Thomas T.
cooper and A. r. Margary, and the murder
# the two latter gentlemen on the Burmo-
Jhinese frontier, will be fresh in the memory
Il many readers.
specie Resumption in Turkey.
london TRUTH