Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-09

government was illustrated in what came
to be known as the Burmese shoe question
1t is one of the most amusing episodes In
the history of diplomacy. The British resi-
dent at Mandalay, who was something more
than an envoy, and under a treaty made
many years ago was supposed to be acting
as an adviser to the Burmese government,
was required to submit to the rule which
required all foreigners of whatever. rank. as
we'll as natives. to take OF their shoes be-
fore entering the royal presence, ifto1 squat
upon the floor before the king and to make
form Of obeisance called "sheko"-the ko-
tow of the Chinese. which means knocking
the forehead nine times upon the floor.
The same tokens of submission were de-
manded of the foreign ENJOYS at Picking by
the Emperor Of China, but they refused to
give 1t and for nearly a quarter of a CEN
Jury none OF the foreign ministers entered
the imperial presence.
.The German and French representatives
az Mandalay declined to submit to the in
dignity or comply with the rules. and hence
were prohibited from entering the palace
They were obliged to conduct their bust
ness with the king through his ministers
The British resident was instructed to use
ms discretion. but was not to allow such
matters to interfere with his usefulness or
the success OF any negotiations that he
might be conducting.
In 1873 Sir Douglass Forsythe, then the
British resident. demanded that he be re-
ceiyed In the same manner as the envoy of
the King of Burma had been received by
the yiceroy az Calcutta. King MIndon de-
ciined to make this concession. He asserted
MS supremacy over the yiceroy Of India
and even over the latter's sovereign fire
Queen of England and Empress of India.
He would not acknowledge his inferfority
20 any OF the rulers OF the earth. and con-
unueo 10 claim that he was greater than
them all: King Thebaw. his son, took the
same position. and no British or other envoy
was ever again received in royal audience,
their business being conducted through the
members of The cabinet without even the
formal presentation Of their credentials to
the king.
fastened Fall of the Dynasty.
This method, however. was very unsatis-
factory and embarrassing, and FASTENED the
fate of the dynasty. The ministers were
VIGOROUSLY antruthful and insincere. They
would not carry messages straight or re-
peat accurately the replies of the king Ac-
cording to the habits of orientals, they
never reported bad news or delivered disa-
greeabie messages They seldom told him
the truth or gave him accurate statements.
They represented to him that the foreign
ENJOYS did not come to him directly. be-
cause they considered themselves too hum
Die and insignificant to appear In his au-
gust presence. and inflated his vanity with
similar messages Hence the government
and the foreigners were always at cross
purposes. ana the natural consequence was
the Observation-Disclosures which brought ON
the war. The king was repeatedly assured
tndt the 6riIiSn were a4raid or him, and
dare not meet his Faistaflan army, and II
he only kept up the blum they would sub
NIT to anything he desired. On the other
hand. the British minister was repeatedly
assured that his demands would be COM
piled with, whereas the king never heard OF
them. sSs1s on
1t developed afterward. while Thebaw
was prisoner OF the British army. that
he did not have the vaguest idea OF what
the British were fighting him about. The
demands for indemnity In behalf Of the
Bombay corporatlcp were utterly unknown
to him; the remoIstraRess of England and
the European powers against the massacres
Of his subjects had never been communl-
Gated to him. Indeed, he was never made
aware OF the indignation throughout the
civilixed world concerning the massacre Of
his family. His wife and his ministers had
represented to him again and again that
the act was generally approved and conf
mended by his fellow sovereigns.
The Roman Catholic Cathedral Is the
only imposing modern building in Manda-
lay. The missionaries Of that church have
had great success samohg the Burmese.
The Baptist church. however, has the larg-
est number OF communicates at Mandaiay.
There is noble memorial Of the late
Adoniram Judson. the famous Baptist di-
vine