, 1882-03-04

ing necessarily, and they put cigarettes
into THEN mouths six inches long ana
twice the thickness of a mans thumb,
covered with a leaf instead of paper.
The above description only applies to the
natives of British Burmah, for the state of
things in Upper Burmah, so misruled by
a debauched and u%nprincipled King,
is very different. There the wretched
inhabitants have no security for life or pro-
perty, take no interest in cultivating the
soil, and escape into British territory as
fast as they can. The Kings officers take
rigid measures to prevent this emigration,
and unless a man can carry OFT his whole
family unobSeryed his return is secured
by the pressure put on his relatives who
remain. During the paddy harveSt-that
is, Just nOw-vaSt numbers OF men com
over to British Burmah to reap the grain,
but they are obliged to return to the
Kings dOminions when harvest is over.
Our trade with Upper Burmah has been
greatly INSTRUCTED by the bad faith OF the
King in retaining mOnOpolieS Of cOmmOdl-
ties, contrary to treaty. When Lord
DalhouSie annexed Pegu, completing the
British c0ast-line from Eastern Bengal to
the frontier at Siam, he excused himself
for not Incorporating the remainder OF
Burmah by saying that he now held
Burmah in the hollow Of his hand mean
ing that the importation OF arms ccod be
stopped and the country could be starved.
1t was reasonably supposed that these
powers would furnish the means OF com
peliiug the King to observe his treaties,
and SO, perhaps, they would ii they mad
been put in force to punish the hfSt
breach. Oar treaties with Eastern poten-
tateS resemble the dam by which you keep
haaI- "a I,IV If y-afar. S0 IGuG rs If is
kept intact there is no trouble and no dis
turbance, but once allow a breach to be
made, he it ever so small, and all the
kings horses and all the kings men can
not repair the damage which a single
handful Ct clay applied at the right
moment would nave prevented. And
this is how we stand now with the Court
OF Mandalay. The merchants ~remO9strate
strongly, headed by a memorial from Scot
land. for the Glasgow bodies are much
interested in the trade with Mandalay; but,
pathetically asks the Niceroy, What
would We have me to do? J In every speech
he made during his progress from Slmla
to the sea, Lord Ripon had declared HIM
self a man OF peace, and he took the hrst
opportunity given him in RanSoon OF re-
peating the san confession OF faith there.
1t could not, therefore, be coerclye mea-
Sures which were contemplated. what
then? The Resident had long ago been
withdrawn from Mandalay, but so tar from
this step bringing the King to reason, 1t
seemed to afford him decided relief. 10
stop the supply Of war material-Whlcn mas,
indeed been dOne-waS only shutting the
Stable-dOor after tue Steed was gone. 10
close our trade with Upper Burmah would
punish the memorialists themselves much
more than it would the v0luptuary at
Mandalay. The conclusion actually arr1V-
ed at was to send one more remOnStrance!
and if the King is not yet berett OF MS
sense of humour this must amuse l
The Viceroy was pleased, but not salts
fed, with the education OF RangoOn. he
wants more Of it. Perhaps he is right,
and perhaps he is wrong. India is over
run with the "higher education" 1t is
becoming one gigantic university, the
supreme product of which is the Bengalee
Baboo, a philologist and a metaphyslclan
who desDises the more modest accomplish
ments which are required for the everyday
work of the world. The aim of these
University graduates is said to be Govern
ment employment at 10 rupees per month,
while the useful walks Of life are neglect
ed. The missionaries have a considerable
share in the education of BurmaE, and
very accomplished and enel getlc men tney
are. Their object, of course, is prOsely-
tism, in which they feel they have no
chance.with adult BuddhiSts, there is so
little to lay hold of. There are no poor,
no miserable among them their moraLty
is, perhaps, better than that OF so-calleu
Christian nations: and ever their form OF
- 1.IA IhnIcfInn lfV-*