Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-07
PALACE OF THEDAW
Allowed by British to Fall
Into Decay.
KING HAD 8 THRONES
DESCRIBED.
British Resident Adviser Appeared Be-
fore the Monarch Barefooted Until
an Old Soldier Rebelled.
KING HAD 8 THRONES
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.


Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
MANDALAY. April g. 1904.
E The center Of the universe Is marked by
a tall spire. deliberately carved and covered
with gold leaf, that rises from the roof Of
the palace of King Thebaw at Mandalay.
Burma, in the center Of the Enclosure that
described to you yesterday. The palace Is
now vacant and Is allowed by the British
authorities to go to decay. 1t Is open to
the inspection Of tourists. who are escorted
around by native servants and have things
explained to them in pidgin English. The
only part now occupied is the great audi
ence chamber, which is used for purposes of
worship by the members of the Established
Church of England in the garrison. and the
regular army chaplain officiates.
Queens Dwelling Used as Club House.
The residence of Thebaws chief queen.
which is altogether the most elaborate and
fantastic of all the buildings, and is I'M
surpassed in its peculiar bizarre style of
architecture, is rented to the officers of the
garrison as a club house and mess room
for fifty rupees-about $1S-a month. The
queens bed chamber, which is the gem
of the building, Is used for library; her
audience chamber is the dining room. and
lar uses. The throne, which is still allowed
to stand in it's old place, is an exquisite ex-
ample of Burmese carving and gliding.
The king had eight thrones, which were
named according to the uses to which they
were assigned or to the style in which they
were ornamented. He was an absolute
despot. the most despotic ruler in all the
world UP to 1885, when he was overthrown
by the British and baniShed to India on
pension. He was the owner of all the
land and all the property in Burma. No
one else was permitted to possess anything
of value except by his favor: he claimed
even the lives of his subjects, and could
command their unpaid services at will. No
words can exaggerate his power and au-
thority, and he exercised them without re-
gard to justice, honesty or mercy. He was,
est, the most powerful, the most exalted
of all potentates, as his official titles, ten
in number will show:
1. King of Kings.
2. Possessor of Boundless Dominions and
Supreme Authority over all the World
3. Arbiter of Nations
4. Dispenser of Justice and Example of
Righteousness.
5. Descendant of the Sun.
@. Bulwark of Religion.
Z. Lord of Many White Elephants
8. Lord of All Gold, Silver, Amber, Ru-
bies and Jade.
o. Owner of all the Precious Things of
Earth.
and All Umbrella bearing Chiefs.
King Thebaw was assisted in bearing
these responsibilities by cabinet of min
listers. and great council of state The
former. four in number. were known as
Wung-Yis, which means bearers of big
burdens and each had under him organ
fzatfon secretaries, ScribeS and clerks. The
WungYis met daily at 5 o'clock in the
morning in the kings chamber to receive
his instructions and make their reports
They stood between him and the outside
world. and he could be reached only
through their Intervention.
The British Policy.
The only man who had the right to ap-
proach the king directly and demand an
audience at any time was the British resi-
dent, who, from the time of the first vice.
roy of Great Britain over Burma in 1922,
occupied a villa within the WALL and theo-
retically was an adviser of the government
But he was seldom consulted and seldom
in aft air3 tn