The Beginnings of British Rule in Upper Burma: A Study of British Policy and Burmese Reaction 1885-1890.

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(1)THE. BEGINNINGS. UPPER POLICY. BURMA:. OF A. AND BURMESE. BRITISH RULE. STUDY. OF. REACTION. BRITISH -. 1889-1890. by Muhammad Shamsher A li. T h e s i s s u b m it te d f o r th e d e g re e o f D octo r o f P h ilo s o p h y U n i v e r s i t y o f London March 1976. IN.

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(3) z ABSTRACT. T h is T h e s i s a t t e m p t s to s tu d y th e p a i n s t a k i n g e f f o r t s made by th e B r i t i s h to. ' p a c i f y ' Upper Burma d u rin g th e f i r s t f i v e y e a r s. o f c o n q u e s t (November l889-D ecem ber 189O) a s w e ll a s th e n a t u r e o f Burmese u n r e s t en g en d e red by th o s e e f f o r t s . While C h a p te r One i s a b r i e f a c c o u n t o f th e h i s t o r i c a l b ack ground to th e c o n q u e s t o f Upper Burma, C h a p te r Two d e a l s w ith th e c o u rs e o f e v e n t s from 28 November 1889 to 19 December l889» when the c o u n try was u n d e r a p u r e l y m i l i t a r y r u l e , v/ith s p e c i a l r e f e r e n c e to th e r o o t c a u s e s o f Burmese u n r e s t v/hich grew f o llo w in g King T h ib a w 's d e p o r t a t i o n . C h a p te r T hree i s d ev o ted to B r i t i s h p o l i c y from 19 December 1889 to November 1 8 8 6 , when e f f o r t s , e s s e n t i a l l y c o n c i l i a t o r y i n n a t u r e , vere made to b u i l d up a c i v i l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n .. These e f f o r t s. having f a i l e d , m i l i t a r y o p e r a t i o n s were u n d e r ta k e n from November 1886 to A p r i l 1 8 8 7 .. C h a p te r F our i s d e v o te d to t h e s e o p e r a t i o n s .. But t h e s e o p e r a t i o n s f a i l e d to p ro d u ce th e d e s i r e d e f f e c t s . So a new p o l i c y was f o r m u la te d - t h a t o f d e a l i n g v/ith th e p e o p le by v i l l a g e s th ro u g h a p u n i t i v e v i l l a g e r e g u l a t i o n .. C h a p te r f i v e. d e a l s w ith th e fram in g o f t h i s r e g u l a t i o n from a b o u t th e m iddle to th e end o f 1 8 8 7 , and C h a p te r S ix w ith i t s o p e r a t i o n from 1888 to 1890..

(4) ABBREVIATIONS. aRB. A d m i n i s t r a t i o n R ep o rt o f Burma.. BFMP. Burma f o r e i g n and M i l i t a r y P r o c e e d i n g s .. B'FP. Burma F o r e ig n P r o c e e d i n g s .. BHP. Burma Home P r o c e e d i n g s .. BMP BPVi/P BRAP. Burma M i l i t a r y P r o c e e d i n g s . Burma P u b l i c Works P r o c e e d i n g s . Burma Revenue and A g r ic u lt u r e P r o c e e d i n g s .. DP. D u fferin P ap ers.. GSWP. George S t u a r t White P a p e r s. HC. Home C o rresp o n d en ce. HTWP. H e r b e r t T h i r k e l l White P a p e r s. IMP. I n d ia M ilita r y P ro ceed in g s.. IUBP. I n d i a Upper Burma P r o c e e d i n g s .. JBRS. J o u r n a l o f th e Burma R e s e a rc h S o c i e t y .. JLEI. J u d i c i a l L e t t e r s and E n c l o s u r e s from I n d i a .. LP. Lansdowne P a p e r s .. MDI. M i l i t a r y D e s p a tc h e s to I n d i a .. MLEI. M i l i t a r y L e t t e r s and E n c l o s u r e s from I n d i a .. MMLD. M i l i t a r y and M arine L e t t e r s and D e s p a tc h e s from I n d i a .. PGLIB. P u b l i c and G e n e ra l L e t t e r s from I n d i a and B e n g a l.. PSCI. P o l i t i c a l and S e c r e t C o rresp o n d en ce w i t h I n d i a .. RPAB. R ep o rt on th e P o l i c e A d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f Burma.. RTLI. Railv/ay and T e le g r a p h L e t t e r s from I n d i a .. SC. S la d e n C o l l e c t i o n .. SR. S e t t l e m e n t R e p o rt..

(5) 4 CONTENTS page A b stract. ............................................................................................... 2. A b b rev iatio n s. .................................................................................... 3. In tro d u c tio n. ..................................................................................... $ -1 4. C h a p te r I. C h a p te r I I. C h a p te r I I I. C h a p te r IV C h a p te r V C h ap ter VI. H i s t o r i c a l back grou nd to th e c o n q u e s t o f Upper Burma ............................................................. 1 5-58. The a f t e r m a t h o f c o n q u e s t: u n r e s t and i t s r e l i g i o u s , p o l i t i c a l , economic and s o c i a l causes .......................... ...................................... 3 9 -8 0. S i r C h a r l e s B e rn a rd : B r i t i s h p o l i c y and Burmese re s p o n s e .................................................. 81 -1 4 6. Cold s e a s o n o p e r a t i o n s , 1886-1887 . .. ... S i r C h a r l e s C r o s t h w a i t e : th e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f a new v i l l a g e s y s t e m ..................................... The f i n a l p h a s e o f th e p a c i f i c a t i o n : th e w orking o f C r o s t h w a i t e ' s v i l l a g e s y s t e m . .. 1 4 /-2 0 7 208-237 258-319. C o n c lu sio n ........ ............................................................................................... 320-337. B i b l i o g r a p h y ................................................................................................ 338-335. M a p e .......................... 358-337. .........................................................................

(6) INTRODUCTION. The p r e s e n t s tu d y d e a l s w ith th e s o - c a l l e d of. 'Upper Burma p r o p e r '. 'p a c if ic a tio n ' x. from th e end o f th e T h ir d Anglo-Burmese. War i n November 1885 to th e end o f S i r C h a r l e s C r o s t h w a i t e ' s te n u r e o f o f f i c e a s C h i e f Comm issioner o f Burma i n December 18 9 0.. 'U pper. Burma p r o p e r ' , a s d i s t i n g u i s h e d from th e v a s t Shan p l a t e a u i n th e e a s t and s o u t h - e a s t , and th e m o un taino us a r e a s of th e K ach in s and C hin s i n th e n o r t h and w e s t, c o m p rised , b r o a d ly s p e a k in g , th e p l a i n s o f th e v a l l e y s o f th e r i v e r s Irra w a d d y , S i t t a n g and Chindwin and c e r t a i n h ig h l a n d a r e a s on th e p e r i p h e r i e s o f t h e s e p l a i n s . The Shan p l a t e a u and th e K achin and Chin a r e a s do n o t come u n d e r th e scope o f t h i s s tu d y . In f a c t , d u r in g th e whole p e r i o d u n d e r re v ie w th e B r i t i s h p o l i c y was to c o n c e n t r a t e on th e p l a i n s .. Of c o u r s e , a t i n t e r v a l s , o p e r a t i o n s. were co n d u cted i n th e t r i b a l a r e a s , when i t was found t h a t some f u g i t i v e l e a d e r s from th e p l a i n s were t r y i n g to form new p o c k e t s o f r e s i s t a n c e w i t h th e h e lp o f th e tr i b e s m e n . But t h e s e o p e r a t i o n s were n o t a p a r t o f th e main programme o f p a c i f i c a t i o n . The i d e a was t h a t once th e p l a i n s were u n d e r c o n t r o l th e s u b j u g a t i o n o f th e t r i b a l a r e a s would be o n ly a q u e s t i o n o f tim e . While th e t h e s i s i s an a c c o u n t o f p a i n s t a k i n g B r i t i s h e f f o r t s to e s t a b l i s h t h e i r r u l e o v e r a con quered p e o p l e , i t a l s o a t t e m p t s to b r i n g i n t o f o c u s th e e x a c t n a t u r e o f th e r e s i s t a n c e en g e n d e re d by t h e s e e f f o r t s and o t h e r f a c t o r s . Here i n Upper Burma th e B r i t i s h were. I n th e p r e s e n t s tu d y th e word ' p a c i f i c a t i o n ' h as been u sed to mean th e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f B r i t i s h r u l e i n Upper Burma by v a r i o u s con c i l i a t o r y and c o e r c i v e m e a su re s..

(7) 6 f a c e to fa c e w ith a p e o p le who, e t h n i c a l l y homogeneous a s th e y w ere, were e x tre m e ly p ro u d o f t h e i r c u l t u r e , t r a d i t i o n and n a t i o n a l i d e n t i t y , and who were d e te rm in e d to f i g h t to th e l a s t to save th e s e p r e c i o u s t h i n g s . T h is i s why th e work o f ’p a c i f i c a t i o n * e v e n t u a l l y tu r n e d o u t to be one o f th e most f o r m id a b le t a s k s th e B r i t i s h e v e r p e rfo rm e d i n t h e i r c o l o n i a l h i s t o r y . But th e con tem po rary c r i t i c s ^ do n o t a p p e a r to have a p p r e c i a t e d th e e x a c t n a t u r e o f t h i s t a s k .. P e r h a p s th e y th o u g h t t h a t. th e p a c i f i c a t i o n o f a 1s e m i - b a r b a r o u s ' c o u n try l i k e Upper Burma w ith some t e n th o u san d w e l l - t r a i n e d and w e ll - e q u ip p e d B r i t i s h tr o o p s was a s sim p le as q u e l l i n g an o r d i n a r y r e b e l l i o n . So, when a f t e r a few months o f th e o c c u p a tio n o f Mandalay more t r o o p s b e came n e c e s s a r y to cope w ith a r a p i d l y d e t e r i o r a t i n g s i t u a t i o n , t h e s e c r i t i c s made a s l a s h i n g a t t a c k upon t h e Government o f I n d i a , th u s i n e f f e c t q u e s t i o n i n g th e a b i l i t y o f th e men who were engaged i n th e work o f p a c i f i c a t i o n . So, to d e te r m in e th e e x a c t n a t u r e o f th e work o f p a c i f i c a t i o n , th e p r e s e n t s tu d y l a y s em p h asis on c e r t a i n b a s i c a s p e c t s , nam ely, th e p ro b lem which n e c e s s i t a t e d th e T h i r d Anglo-Burmese War, th e c a u s e s o f th e r e s i s t a n c e w hich grew f o llo w in g th e War, th e n a t u r e o f th e r e s i s t a n c e , and th e c h a r a c t e r o f th e p o l i c y v/hich th e B r i t i s h p u rs u e d from tim e to tim e to q u e l l th e r e s i s t a n c e . The pro b lem w hich n e c e s s i t a t e d th e V/ar was th e growing F re n c h i n f l u e n c e a t th e C o u rt o f M andalay. There a r e , how ever, s e v e r a l o t h e r t h i n g s which come up i n c o n n e c tio n w ith th e B r i t i s h i n t e r v e n t i o n , such a s th e a l l e g e d m a s s a c r e s i n th e Mandalay P a la c e and th e Mandalay. " C e r t a i n o p p o s i t i o n members i n th e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t ..

(8) 7 Ja il,. th e m a ltr e a tm e n t o f c e r t a i n B r i t i s h s u b j e c t s , th e a s s a u l t. on s e v e r a l B r i t i s h r i v e r s te a m e r s , and th e a l l e g e d m ish a n d lin g o f th e a f f a i r o f a B r i t i s h f ir m known as th e Bombay Burma T rad in g C o rp o ratio n .. But none o f t h e s e a p p e a r s t o have a f f o r d e d s u f f i c i e n t. w a r r a n t f o r armed i n t e r v e n t i o n . T here was a l s o a c e r t a i n com mercial m otive i n v o l v e d , nam ely, th e d e s i r e to e s t a b l i s h com m ercial l i n k s w ith S outh-W est C hina th ro u g h Bhamo.. But th e A u t h o r i t i e s knew. t h a t th e war a g a i n s t Thibaw would have been an u n j u s t i f i a b l e war i f i t was u n d e r ta k e n o n ly f o r th e p u r p o s e o f e x t e n d in g t r a d e .. In. f a c t , i f none o f t h e s e f a c t o r s e x i s t e d , th e v/ar would have n e v e r t h e l e s s come b e c a u se o f th e growing F ren ch i n f l u e n c e a t t h e C o u rt o f M andalay. F r a n c e , f i r m l y e s t a b l i s h e d i n th e v a l l e y o f th e r i v e r Mekong, was t r y i n g to g a i n a perm a n en t f o o t - h o l d i n th e Upper V a lle y o f th e r i v e r Irra w a d d y .. T h is was a s e r i o u s t h r e a t to th e B r i t i s h th e p o s i t i o n i n th e F a s t i n r e s p e c t o f / s e c u r i t y o f th e I n d i a n N o rth E a s t e r n F r o n t i e r , th e l u c r a t i v e t r a d e w ith Upper Burma and th e e x p e c te d t r a d e w ith S outh-W est C hina th r o u g h Bhamo.. So th e B r i t i s h. moved i n and o c c u p ie d Mandalay a f t e r a war o f two weeks (lA-2.8 November 1885 ) .. The F ren ch gave i n . But t h e i r h o p e s o f a g r e a t e r. In d o -C h in e s e Empire d id n o t fad e away a l t o g e t h e r ;. th e se lin g e re d. on f o r a n o t h e r t h r e e o r f o u r y e a r s a s th e B r i t i s h became in v o lv e d d e e p e r and d e e p e r i n th e m assiv e work o f p a c i f i c a t i o n . T h is p a r t l y e x p l a i n s why d u rin g th e whole p e r i o d u n d e r re v ie w th e B r i t i s h a t t i tu d e to th e problem o f p a c i f i c a t i o n was marked by an e x c e p t i o n a l l y h ig h d e g re e o f d e t e r m i n a t i o n and s t u b b o r n n e s s . as. to th e c a u s e s o f r e s i s t a n c e ,. th e o f f i c i a l s i n c h a rg e o f. ' p a c i f i c a t i o n ' , h av in g m en tioned th e e x i s t e n c e o f a c e r t a i n s e n t i m e n tal r e v e r e n c e i n th e p e o p le f o r th e r o y a l f a m i l y , a t t r i b u t e d th e.

(9) 8 u n r e s t c h i e f l y to c e r t a i n. 'p re d a to ry i n s t i n c t s. ' o f Burmese c h a r a c t e r .. A lth oug h some contem p orary o b s e r v e r s n o te d an e le m e n t o f r e s t l e s s n e s s i n th e Burmese c h a r a c t e r , t h i s c o u ld h a r d l y be th e b a s i c cause o f a r e s i s t a n c e movement which r e s u l t e d i n th e employment o f some f o r t y th o u san d t r o o p s and p o l i c e and n o t l e s s th a n s i x th o u s a n d ca su a ltie s.. The r e a l c a u s e s o f th e u n r e s t a r e to be found i n th e. i n j u r e d n a t i o n a l and r e l i g i o u s s e n t i m e n t s o f th e p e o p le and i n th e economic d i s a s t e r s ca u se d by w ar, d e p r e d a t i o n s , bad h a r v e s t s , and c a t tle d isease.. The p e o p l e , b o t h th e monks and th e l a i t y , r e s e n t e d. th e d e p o r t a t i o n o f th e King'" who, th e y b e l i e v e d , was th e D efend er o f th e F a i t h and th e symbol o f n a t i o n a l u n i t y .. T h e i r r e s e n tm e n t grew. s t r o n g e r a s th e economic s i t u a t i o n became more and more d e s p e r a t e . I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g to n o te t h a t d u r in g a l l th e t r o u b l e d y e a r s o f p a c i f i c a t i o n th e Burmese p e o p le a t t r i b u t e d t h e i r s u f f e r i n g s p r i m a r i l y to th e e n t r y o f a n o n -B u d d h is t Power. T h is i s why t h e i r s t a n d was d e c i d e d ly a n t i - B r i t i s h . So th e r e s i s t a n c e movement v/as, on th e w hole, p o p u l a r . There was, o f c o u r s e , a g r e a t d e a l o f d a c o i t y and r o b b e r y , a s m ight have happened anywhere i n th e w orld i n a s i m i l a r s i t u a t i o n .. But th e. movement d id n o t l o s e i t s p a t r i o t i c and i d e o l o g i c a l c h a r a c t e r .. For. t h i s a l a r g e amount o f c r e d i t g o e s to some o f t h e l e a d e r s o f th e r e s i s t a n c e , whose s i n c e r i t y , p e r s e v e r e n c e , b o ld n e s s and t a c t f u l n e s s k e p t th e movement a l i v e i n s p i t e o f trem endous p r e s s u r e from th e B r itis h sid e . In d e e d , th e t a s k o f p a c i f i c a t i o n v/as a H e r c u le a n o ne. The a u t h o r i t i e s , b o th c i v i l and m i l i t a r y , d id a l l t h a t v/as p o s s i b l e u n d er th e c i r c u m s ta n c e s . The c i v i l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , h eaded by S i r C h a r l e s. ^King Thibaw v/as d e p o r te d im m e d ia te ly a f t e r th e o c c u p a tio n o f Mandalay..

(10) B e rn a rd (15 December 1885 to 28 F e b ru a ry 1 8 8 7 ) and S i r C h a r l e s C r o s th w a ite (28 'February 1887 to 10 December 1 8 9 0 ) , t r i e d ev ery p o s s i b l e method u n t i l th e t r u e p a n a c e a v/as found i n th e V il l a g e R e g u l a ti o n o f 1887 v/ith i t s p u n i t i v e p r o v i s i o n s . The m i l i t a r y a l s o d id i t s p a r t rem a rk a b ly w e l l . Day a f t e r day and n i g h t a f t e r n i g h t , th e s o l d i e r s f o r c e d t h e i r way th r o u g h dense j u n g l e and m a l a r i a l swamps, e n d u r in g f a t i g u e and a l l s o r t s o f odds and in c o n v e n ie n c e s v/ith a c h e e r f u l and s o l d i e r l i k e s p i r i t .. T here were, how ever, c e r t a i n. b lu n d e r s made d u rin g th e e a r l y months o f o c c u p a t i o n , v/hich to a g r e a t e x t e n t a g g r a v a te d th e s i t u a t i o n .. B u t, c o n s i d e r i n g th e n a t u r e. o f th e r e s i s t a n c e and th e n a t u r a l d i s a d v a n t a g e s u n d e r which th e o f f i c e r s and men worked, th e t a s k o f p a c i f i c a t i o n c o u ld n o t have been a c c o m p lish e d w ith o u t a heavy p r i c e . Such a r e th e main p o i n t s on v/hich t h e p r e s e n t s tu d y i s b a s e d . No s c h o l a r l y i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f th e s u b j e c t h a s p r e v i o u s l y been made on th e s e l i n e s . The e a r l i e s t f u l l - l e n g t h v/ork on th e s u b j e c t i s The P a c i f i c a t i o n o f Burma (1912) by S i r C h a r l e s C r o s th w a it e him s e l f . T h is i s an e x c e l l e n t a c c o u n t o f v a r i o u s m easures and m i l i t a r y o p e r a t i o n s a s s o c i a t e d m a in ly w ith C r o s t h v / a i t e ' s own p e r i o d o f o f f i c e . These m e asu re s and o p e r a t i o n s t a l l y , i n most p a r t s , w ith th e o f f i c i a l r e c o r d s . But th e book, which d e v o t e s v ery l i t t l e. sp a c e to S i r C h a r le s. B e r n a r d 's a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , n e i t h e r r e f e r s to any o f t h e e a r l y b l u n d e r s n o r say s a n y th in g a b o u t th e c a u s e s and n a t u r e o f th e r e s i s t a n c e , save a p a s s i n g r e f e r e n c e t o a pong.yi bo o b s e rv e d a c e r t a i n. Zf. 'f a n a tic a l or p a t r i o t i c ' s p i r i t .. Pongyi bo = monk l e a d e r .. i n whom th e a u t h o r.

(11) There a r e t h r e e modern works which s h o u ld a l s o be m en tion ed. These a r e :. a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f Burma (193&) by Ma. Mya S e in , The. Making o f Burma ( 1 9 6 2 ) by Dorothy Woodman and B r i t i s h A d m in i s t r a ti o n i n Upper Burma, 1885-1897 (U n p u b lish e d M.A. T h e s i s , 1 965) by J a g j i t S in g h S id h u .. Ma Mya S e in 1s book d e a l s m a in ly v/ith the. a d m i n i s t r a t i v e a s p e c t s o f Burma u n d e r th e K ings a s v/ell a s u n d e r t h e B r i t i s h f o ll o w i n g th e a n n e x a t i o n o f Upper Burma. So f a r a s th e p a c i f i c a t i o n i s c o n c e rn e d , th e most i m p o r t a n t a s p e c t o f th e book i s i t s a c c o u n t o f th e v i l l a g e o r g a n i s a t i o n which throv/s some l i g h t on th e t r a d i t i o n a l p a t t e r n o f l e a d e r s h i p i n th e community. Dorothy Woodman, h av in g d i s c u s s e d a t g r e a t l e n g t h th e circ u m s t a n c e s which l e d to th e F i r s t , Second and T h ir d Anglo-Burmese Wars, p a s s e s on to th e t o p i c o f r e s i s t a n c e i n Upper Burma.. But. th e c h a p t e r on r e s i s t a n c e a p p e a r s to be somewhat m i s l e a d i n g . The t i t l e o f th e c h a p t e r i s. 'R e s i s t a n c e i n Upper B u rm a'.. But i t i s. e n t i r e l y d e v o te d to th e r e s i s t a n c e o f f e r e d by th e C hins and K ach in s and to th e a f f a i r s o f th e Shan S t a t e s ; happened i n th e p l a i n s .. i t h a r d l y s p e a k s o f what. However, Woodman's n a r r a t i v e o f t r i b a l. r e s i s t a n c e i s v e ry i n f o r m a t i v e . Jag j i t S in g h S i d h u 's t h e s i s i s th e o n ly modern v/ork d e v o te d c o m p le te ly to th e s u b j e c t .. But th e work, w hich i s a good a c c o u n t. o f B r i t i s h p o l i c y , h a r d ly to u c h e s th e Burmese s i d e o f th e p i c t u r e . The a u t h o r a t t r i b u t e s th e u n r e s t to c e r t a i n e x i s t i n g f o r c e s o f d i s o r d e r su ch a s th e h a b i t o f d e s u l t o r y f i g h t i n g and th e t r a d i t i o n a l o u t s t a n d i n g f e u d s between n e ig h b o u r i n g v i l l a g e s . T here i s , o f c o u r s e , some t r u t h i n i t . As h ap p en s e v e ry w h e re , v/hen th e a u t h o r i t y o f th e l o c a l o f f i c i a l s i s m o m en tarily p a r a l y s e d o r much weakened.

(12) f o ll o w i n g a war o f a n n e x a tio n th e la v /le s s s p i r i t i n th e c o u n try co n c e rn e d f i n d s i n i t a p r o p e r ch an n e l to a s s e r t i t s e l f . t h i s happened i n Upper Burma. v o lv e d. - p o litic a l,. So. But t h e r e were o t h e r f a c t o r s i n . economic and r e l i g i o u s . S id h u h as n o t made. any a t t e m p t to a n a l y s e th e s i t u a t i o n i n th e l i g h t o f t h e s e f a c t o r s . As a r e s u l t , he h as f a i l e d to a s s e s s th e e x a c t n a t u r e o f th e r e sis ta n c e .. T hroughout h i s a c c o u n t he h as f r e e l y u s e d th e term. ’ d a c o i t'.. Nowhere i n th e a c c o u n t does th e term ’ r e b e l ' o c c u r .. Thus th e Upper Burmans, a t l e a s t th o s e v/ho c o u ld be i d e n t i f i e d by t h e i r m o tiv e s , have been d e n ie d t h a t much hono ur v/hich th e p a c i f i c a t o r s th e m s e lv e s d id n o t h e s i t a t e t o g iv e i n t h e i r o f f i c i a l and u n o f f i c i a l a c c o u n ts . The most s i g n i f i c a n t o m is s io n i n t h i s c o n n e c tio n i s t h a t th e t h e s i s does n o t g iv e any r e f e r e n c e to i n d i v i d u a l pongyi p a r t i c i p a t i o n in th e r e s i s t a n c e .. I t m e n tio n s U Oktama. i n t r o d u c e him a s a p o n g y i . ance. once o r tw i c e , b u t do es n o t. In th e c o n t e x t o f th e Burmese r e s i s t . pon gyi p a r t i c i p a t i o n i s a v e ry s i g n i f i c a n t f e a t u r e a s i t te n d s. to u pho ld th e movement i n p o p u l a r e s t i m a t i o n . From v a r i o u s o f f i c i a l and u n o f f i c i a l s o u r c e s i t a p p e a r s t h a t numerous p o n g y is were a s s o c i a t e d w ith th e r e s i s t a n c e i n one way o r a n o t h e r . A gain , a s to B r i t i s h p o l i c y , S i d h u ' s a c c o u n t i s more d e s c r i p t i v e th a n a n a l y t i c a l . He does n o t show why S i r C h a r l e s B e r n a r d 's c o n c i l i a t o r y p o l i c y i n th e f i r s t y e a r o f a n n e x a tio n f a i l e d to p r o duce any s a t i s f a c t o r y r e s u l t s . D uring t h i s p e r i o d th e s i t u a t i o n was a g g r a v a te d by c e r t a i n m i s t a k e s , nam ely, th e f a i l u r e to f o r m u l a te a d e f i n i t e p o l i c y d u r in g th e f i r s t t h r e e months o f th e o c c u p a t i o n o f M andalay, th e f a i l u r e to b r i n g i n more t r o o p s im m e d ia te ly , and c e r t a i n. 5. He v/as th e most v e t e r a n p o n g y i bo i n th e n o r t h ..

(13) e x c e s s e s on th e p a r t o f th e p o l i c e and t h e t r o o p s .. S idhu. m e n tio n s o n ly th e f i r s t one and s a y s , r a t h e r c o n f i d e n t l y , t h a t th e tim e ly f o r m u l a t i o n o f an a d m i n i s t r a t i v e p o l i c y would have made th e work o f p a c i f i c a t i o n c o m p a r a tiv e ly in e x p e n s i v e and b l o o d l e s s . T h is i s , p e r h a p s , t r u e .. But he does n o t say how i t a g g r a v a te d. th e s i t u a t i o n and why a m ista k e o f t h i s k in d was made. more, he does n o t examine. F u rth e r. th e p u n i t i v e c h a r a c t e r o f th e V i l l a g e. R e g u l a t i o n o f 1887 i n i t s t r u e p e r s p e c t i v e . Thus t h e r e a r e numerous g a p s i n J a g j i t S in g h S i d h u 's a c c o u n t. But b e f o r e p a s s i n g any judgem ent on S i d h u ' s work one h as to ta k e in to c o n sid e ra tio n. th re e th in g s:. first,. th e t h e s i s i s a p i o n e e r. work; s e c o n d ly , i t. c o v e r s a p e r i o d l o n g e r th a n t h a t o f th e p a c i f i . c a t i o n o f Upper Burma and, t h i r d l y , p r e p a r i n g an M.A. t h e s i s ,. th e. a u t h o r d id n o t have s u f f i c i e n t tim e to c o n s u l t a l l th e a v a i l a b l e sources. In f a c t , th e s o u r c e s , e s p e c i a l l y th e E n g l i s h o n e s , a r e numerous. While a f u l l l i s t o f t h e s e s o u r c e s i s s u p p l i e d i n th e B i b l i o g r a p h y , a b r i e f r e f e r e n c e to t h e i r h i s t o r i o g r a p h i c im p o r t ance seems to be n e c e s s a r y to u n d e r s ta n d th e b a s i s o f th e p r e s e n t s tu d y . The Burmese s o u r c e s , which have been u s e d f o r t h i s s tu d y i n c l u d e some a v a i l a b l e S i t t a n s o r s t a t e m e n t s s u b m it te d by th e h e a d men o f d i f f e r e n t to w n s h ip s and v i l l a g e s i n 1783 and 1802 and a few £ boo ks, nam ely, S e l e c t i o n s from th e R eco rd s o f th e H lutdaw , com piled by Taw S e in Ko;. Myanma Maha K in g a la Mingandaw (Burmese. Hlutdaw = Supreme C o u n c il o f th e Burmese K in g s..

(14) S t a t e C erem onies). 7. by U Ya Gyaw and Kyanma Min Gkchokpon Sadan. ( A d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f Burma u n d e r th e Burmese K in g s) by U T in . So f a r a s th e t r a d i t i o n a l Burmese v i l l a g e system i s c o n c e rn e d , th e S i t t a n s a r e an e x tre m e ly v a l u a b l e s o u r c e . They g iv e th e a n c e s t r y o f th e v i l l a g e headman, th e c h a r g e - b o u n d a r i e s and rev en u e custom s and a R o ll c o n t a i n i n g th e i n h a b i t a n t s ,. c l a s s i f i e d a c c o r d in g. to s e x , age and asu o r g ro u p . Some o f t h e s e S i t t a n s , c o l l e c t e d by J . S . F u r n i v a l l , were p u b l i s h e d in d i f f e r e n t i s s u e s o f th e J o u r n a l o f th e Burma R e s e a rc h S o c i e t y , and some now i n p o s s e s s i o n o f P r o f e s s o r F rank N. T ra g e r have been a c c e s s i b l e to th e a u t h o r o f th e p r e s e n t s tu d y th r o u g h th e k in d o f f i c e s o f Mr. W illiam J . K oenig. The E n g l is h s o u r c e s i n c l u d e a huge mass o f p r i n t e d m a t e r i a l and m a n u s c r ip t p r e s e r v e d i n th e I n d i a O f f ic e L i b r a r y . The p r i n t e d m a t e r i a l i n c l u d e s v a r i o u s l e t t e r s and c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , p r o c e e d i n g s , n o t e s and memoranda, r e p o r t s , p a r l i a m e n t a r y d e b a t e s , p a p e r s p r e s e n t e d to P a r l i a m e n t , and g a z e t t e e r s and o t h e r Government p u b l i c a t i o n s . I t h a s sometimes been d i f f i c u l t to r e c o n c i l e th e o f f i c i a l viev; to th e Burmese s i d e o f th e p i c t u r e .. In such c a s e e v e r y a t t e m p t has. been made to f i n d a b a la n c e d judgem ent by u s i n g some o t h e r c a t e g o rie s o f sources.. In t h e s e c a t e g o r i e s come, f i r s t ,. th e p r i v a t e. p a p e r s and d i a r i e s o f th e men who were d i r e c t l y a s s o c i a t e d w ith th e work o f p a c i f i c a t i o n and, s e c o n d ly , s e v e r a l n ew sp ap ers p u b l i s h e d i n London, I n d i a and Burma. Some co ntem po rary boo ks, w r i t t e n by in d e p e n d e n t o b s e r v e r s , come i n th e t h i r d c a t e g o r y . f o ll o w i n g a r e w orth n o t i n g : Geary,. 7. Of t h e s e th e. Burma a f t e r th e C onq uest by G r a tta n. Burma u n d e r B r i t i s h Rule - and B e f o r e , v o l s . I and I I by. A p a rt from v a r i o u s c ere m o n ies r e l a t i n g to r o y a l t y , t h i s book i n c l u d e s a s h o r t a c c o u n t o f th e K ings o f t h e A laungpaya d y n a s ty ..

(15) John N i s b e t , The Soul o f a P e o p le and A P e o p le a t S cho ol by H. F i e l d i n g H a ll and T r a v e l s i n and D i a r i e s o f I n d i a & Burma by I . P . M i n a y e f f . G r a t t a n G eary, who went to Upper Burma two weeks a f t e r th e o c c u p a tio n o f M andalay, has g iv e n an e x c e l l e n t a c c o u n t o f th e Burmese p e o p le - t h e i r c h a r a c t e r and c o n v i c t i o n s , t h e i r r e l i g i o n , t h e i r economic l i f e and t h e i r o v e r a l l r e a c t i o n to B r i t i s h p o l i c y i n th o s e e a r l y days o f o c c u p a tio n . G eary, i t seem s, t r i e d to r e c o r d h i s e x p e r i e n c e as an i m p a r t i a l o b s e r v e r . N is b e t was a f o r e s t o f f i c e r i n Upper Burma f o r a lo n g tim e . A lthough h i s a c c o u n t o f th e T h ir d Anglo-Burmese War and th e p a c i f i c a t i o n o f Upper Burma f o ll o w i n g t h a t War does n o t say a n y th in g more th a n what i s r e c o r d e d i n th e o f f i c i a l p a p e r s , h i s g e n e r a l i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t th e c o u n t r y , p e o p le and governm ent i s e x tre m e ly v a l u a b l e ,. f i e l d i n g H a l l , who was i n. Upper Burma b e f o r e and a f t e r th e War, has l e f t s y m p a th e tic a c c o u n ts o f th e Burmese p e o p le w ith r e f e r e n c e to t h e i r r e l i g i o n , govern m en t, t r a d i t i o n a l community l i f e and, above a l l , B ritish .. t h e i r war a g a i n s t th e. The R u s s ia n t r a v e l l e r M in a y e ff, who was i n Mandalay f o r. a few days e a r l y i n 18 8 6 , h as a l s o g iv e n some v a l u a b l e i n f o r m a t i o n i n h i s a c c o u n t. L a s t , and n o t l e a s t , i n t h i s c a te g o r y come s e v e r a l a r t i c l e s v/hich were p u b l i s h e d i n d i f f e r e n t p e r i o d i c a l s betw een 1886 and 1893. These were w r i t t e n m o stly by men who were a s s o c i a t e d w ith th e I n d ia n and Burmese a d m i n i s t r a t i o n d u r in g th e p e r i o d u n d e r r e view . While some o f t h e s e a r t i c l e s a r e dry n a r r a t i v e s o f B r i t i s h a c tiv ity ,. some c o n t a i n i n f o r m a t i o n v/hich has been found u s e f u l i n. one way o r a n o t h e r i n w r i t i n g th e s t o r y o f th e b e g i n n in g s o f B r i t i s h r u l e i n Upper Burma..

(16) C h a p te r One HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO OF. THE CONQUEST. UPPER BURMA. One Burmese h i s t o r i a n h a s o b s e rv e d t h a t th e Second A ngloBurmese War marked th e b e g in n in g o f th e end for Burma. '1 i s ample t r u t h i n t h i s s t a t e m e n t .. There. I n th e F i r s t Anglo-Burmese. 2 V/ar ( l 8 ? A - l 8 2 6 r Burma ceded A rakan, Assam and T e n a ss e rim to th e B ritish .. The B r i t i s h o b t a i n e d two m ajor a d v a n ta g e s from t h e s e. a c q u isitio n s.. While th e p o s s e s s i o n o f Arakan and Assam s e c u r e d. th e I n d i a n N o r t h - E a s t e r n F r o n t i e r , t h a t o f T e n a ss e rim p u t th e B r i t i s h i n a b e t t e r p o s i t i o n to check S ia m 's s o u th w ard e x p a n s io n a t th e ex p en se o f th e Malay S t a t e s .. So f a r a s Burma was c o n c e rn e d ,. h e r m i l i t a r y v u l n e r a b i l i t y was exp osed and, above a l l , a c o n s i d e r a b l e amcunt o f h e r s e a f r o n t a g e .. she l o s t. But she had s t i l l a. l a r g e o p e n in g to th e s e a , and h e r v a s t r i c h d e l t a o f th e r i v e r Irraw ad dy -x rem ained u n to u c h e d . The Second Anglo-Burmese War ( 1 8 5 2 ) r e s u l t e d i n th e a n n e x a tio n o f Pegu by th e B r i t i s h .. Thus Burma was re d u c e d to. th e c o n d i t i o n o f an i n l a n d pow er, and s h u t up i n th e Upper V a lle y o f. "4)r. Maung Maung, Burma i n th e F am ily o f N a tio n s (Amsterdam 1 9 5 8 ),. p . 44. 2. The a n n e x a t i o n o f A rakan by King Bodawpaya (1782-1819) b ro u g h t Burma i n t o c o l l i s i o n w ith th e B r i t i s h in C h it ta g o n g . The B r i t i s h t e r r i t o r y was u t i l i s e d as a s a n c t u a r y by some th o u s a n d o f A rakanese r e f u g e e s , who made r a i d s from tim e to tim e and h a r a s s e d th e Burmese g a r r i s o n . The Burmese demanded t h a t th e r a i d e r s s h o u ld be g iv e n up to them. T h is b e i n g r e f u s e d , f r i c t i o n d ev elo p ed v/hich r e s u l t e d i n th e F i r s t Anglo-Burmese War. The War v/as c o n c lu d e d by th e T r e a ty o f Yandabo.. ^The Second Anglo-Burmese War i s a t t r i b u t e d m ain ly t o th e Burmese K in g s ' f a i l u r e to comply v/ith th e T r e a ty o f Yandabo..

(17) th e I r r a w a d d y .'. She v/as no l o n g e r a tro u b le s o m e n e ig h b o u r.. F u r th e r m o r e , v /ith Pegu she l o s t a r i c h a r e a w hich had lo n g been 'an i m p o r t a n t s u p p le m e n ta ry g r a n a r y ' f o r th e p e o p le o f th e dry zone o f th e n o r t h .. Thus, to sum up, she l o s t a l l h e r s e a p o r t s. end th e b u lk o f h e r r i c e l a n d s , and f o r h e r c o n t a c t w ith th e o u t s i d e w o rld she was made d ep en d e n t on th e B r i t i s h . So, i n e f f e c t , g h e r r e m a in in g y e a r s were o nly a te m p orary l e a s e o f l i f e . The q u e s t i o n v/as how lo n g t h a t l e a s e would e x t e n d . Mindon, v/ho became King i n F e b ru a ry 1 8 5 3 1 k e e n ly f e l t th e l o s s o f Pegu w hich had alw ays g iv e n th e Burmese Government a l a r g e r rev en u e th a n any o t h e r p r o v in c e o f th e Kingdom.. 7. The p e o p l e , ex o tr e m e ly p ro u d a s th e y were, f e l t d eep ly h u m i l i a t e d . The Kyosas. o f th e Pegu to w n s h ip s e s p e c i a l l y r e s e n t e d t h i s c a p i t u l a t i o n . f a c t , n e i t h e r th e King n o r th e p e o p le c o u ld a c c e p t th e Pegu a s f i n a l .. In. lo s s of. In th e b e g in n in g o f 1855 a Burmese M issio n a r r i v e d. a t C a l c u t t a . The envoys b ro u g h t p r e s e n t s f o r th e G o v e rn o r - G e n e r a l. T h e i r c h i e f o b j e c t i v e v/as to p e r s u a d e th e Government o f I n d i a to r e t u r n th e p r o v i n c e o f Pegu to Burma.. Lord D a lh o u s ie , th e G o vern or-. G e n e r a l, v/as a n x i o u s to e s t a b l i s h f r i e n d l y r e l a t i o n s v/ith th e King. Z|_ L i e u t . - G e n . A l b e r t l y t c h e , Burma, P a s t and P r e s e n t (London 1 8 7 8 ), v o l . 1 , p p . 205- 2 0 6 . ft J a n e l l Ann N i l s s o n , The A d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f B r i t i s h Burma, 1852-1885 unpub. Ph.D . T h e s i s (London 1 9 7 0 ), p p . 5 - 8 . g Maung Maung, o p . c i t . , p . 74. n. F y tc h e , o p . c i t . , v o l . 1, p . 2 0 6 . o Myo means 'tow n' and sa_ means ' t o e a t ' . So Myosa means ' t o v / n s h i p - e a t e r ' , i . e . one who e n j o y s th e re v e n u e o f a township..

(18) o f Burma and to open up a new t r a d e up th e v a l l e y o f th e r i v e r Irraw addy. Pegu. 9. But he was n o t re a d y to do t h e s e i n exchange f o r. So th e Burmese envoys r e t u r n e d home d i s a p p o i n t e d . However, f o r th e n e x t tw en ty y e a r s , Anglo-Burmese r e l a t i o n s. w ere, on th e w hole, good.. T h is was due to Mindon who was one o f. th e b e s t k i n g s who e v e r s a t on th e Burmese t h r o n e . ^. He c l e a r l y. u n d e r s to o d th e i m p l i c a t i o n s o f B r i t i s h C o lo n i a l e x p a n s io n .. 11. He. r e a l i s e d t h a t f u r t h e r h o s t i l i t y w ith th e B r i t i s h would mean th e end o f t h e Burmese Kingdom.. So, a s long a s he l i v e d , h i s r e l a t i o n s. v /ith th e B r i t i s h were alw ays c o r r e c t .. 12. H is a t t i t u d e v/as c l e a r l y. r e f l e c t e d i n th e com m ercial t r e a t i e s v/hich t h e B r i t i s h managed to co n c lu d e w ith him i n 1862 and 1867.. The T r e a ty o f 1862 was con. c lu d e d f o l l o w i n g t h e v i s i t o f C o lo n e l P h a y r e , th e f i r s t C h ie f Com m i s s i o n e r o f B r i t i s h Burma, to M andalay. th in g s,. I t p r o v i d e d , among o t h e r. f o r th e a b o l i t i o n o f d u t i e s on b o th s i d e s o f th e b o r d e r . 13. The B r i t i s h p e rfo rm e d t h e i r p a r t o f th e ag ree m en t im m e d ia te ly . But th e Burmese c o u ld n o t do t h i s b e c a u se o f two p r a c t i c a l d i f f i c u ltie s.. F irst,. t h e r e was a f o r m id a b le o b s t a c l e , n a m e ly , th e system. o f r o y a l monopoly.. N e a rly e v e ry a r t i c l e o f p ro d u ce i n Upper Burma. was a r o y a l monopoly.. No Burmese s u b j e c t c o u ld s e l l a n y t h in g ,. 9 F y tc h e , o p . c i t . , v o l . 1, p . 207. ^ S i r A r t h u r P hayre and S i r A l b e r t F y tc h e , th e f i r s t two C h ie f C om m issio ners o f B r i t i s h Burma, who met King Mindon, spoke v e ry h i g h l y o f him. "^G. C oed es, The Ma k in g o f S o u th F a s t A s ia , t r a n s l a t e d by H.M.Wright (London 1 9 6 2 ) , p . l ^ O . ^L'D . G .E . H a ll, Burrna (London 1 9 3 9 ), 2nd e d i t i o n , p . 123. F y tc h e , o p . c i t . , v o l . 1, p . 209..

(19) e x c e p t i n g t h r o u g h r o y a l b r o k e r s , o r w ith th e e x p r e s s p e r m i s s i o n OLppeoJvcdL t o. o f th e l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s . '. A ltho ugh Mindonj. ■ v e r y w i l l i n g to. c a r r y o u t h i s p a r t o f th e a g re e m e n t, 15 i t was n o t e a sy to do away w ith th e o l d s y ste m .. S e c o n d ly , i n 1866 Upper Burma was shaken by. a r e b e l l i o n head ed by two o f M indon1s so n s. f o r some ti m e .. 1&. Trade was p a r a l y s e d. The. economic s i t u a t i o n i n Upper Burma was so bad. t h a t th e King was n o t. i n a p o s i t i o n to red u ce h i s f r o n t i e r d u t i e s ,. o r to f o r e g o any one o f h i s m o n o p o lie s . 17'. However, by th e T r e a ty. o f 1867 1 which was con clu d ed f o ll o w i n g a v i s i t to Mandalay by C o lo n e l A l b e r t F y tc h e , P h a y r e 's s u c c e s s o r , th e B r i t i s h g o t a l l t h a t th e y c o u ld have r e a s o n a b l y e x p e c te d . m o n o p o lie s , e x c e p t i n g e a r t h. o il,. The King abandoned a l l h i s. tim b e r and p r e c i o u s s t o n e s . The. d u t i e s on a l l g oo ds and m e rc h an d ise p a s s i n g betw een B r i t i s h and Burmese t e r r i t o r i e s were red u ce d to a u n ifo rm r a t e o f 5 ° /o ad valorem , A B r i t i s h R e s id e n t o r P o l i t i c a l Agent was to be alw a y s p o s t e d a t M . .. 18 M andalay. •With th e d e a t h. of Mindon i n 1878 ended th e b e s t p e r i o d o f. Anglo Burmese r e l a t i o n s .. Thibaw, Mindon1s son and s u c c e s s o r , was. young and i n e x p e r i e n c e d and, i n o f f e n s i v e i n d i s p o s i t i o n as he was,. 1A F y tc h e , o p . c i t . , v o l . 1, p p . 210 -2 11. ^ I b id . , p . 211. •j /T. The B r i t i s h Burma G a z e t t e e r , v o l . 1 (Rangoon 1 8 8 0 ), p .^ 7 5 . 17. F y tc lje , o p . c i t . , v o l . 1, p . 215.. l 0I b i d . , p . 2 3 1 . ^ yDr. M arks, F o r ty Y ears i n Burma (London 1917)i p p . 2 l 8 , 227. Dr. Marks was T h ib a w 's t u t o r .. 19.

(20) he a p p e a r s to have been e a s i l y i n f l u e n c e d f o r good o r e v i l .. So. i n no tim e he t u r n e d o u t to be a p u p p e t i n th e hands o f S inbyum ashin, M in d o n 's C h ie f Queen, and one T a in g d a , a C a p ta in i n th e P a l a c e , who r a i s e d him to th e t h r o n e . ' ^. S in b y u m a sh in ' s i n f l u e n c e was soon. overshadow ed by t h a t o f h e r d a u g h t e r S u p a y a l a t , who v/as T h ib a w 's w ife.. 21. S u p a y a l a t v/as a woman o f some d e t e r m i n a t i o n and f o r c e o f. c h a ra c te r. S ta te ,. 22. She q u i c k l y made h e r s e l f th e r u l i n g s p i r i t i n th e. th e King and h i s M i n i s t e r s b e in g a t h e r beck and c a l l .. Her c h i e f i n s t r u m e n t was T a in g d a .. The l a t t e r was an a b l e man. F or. th e a s s i s t a n c e he had r e n d e r e d to Thibaw a t h i s a c c e s s i o n he was made an Atwinwun o r M i n i s t e r o f I n t e r i o r .. He r o s e r a p i d l y i n Queen. S u p a y a l a t ' s f a v o u r so t h a t he became th e most i n f l u e n t i a l man i n th e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n .. 2b. So f a r a s th e B r i t i s h were c o n c e rn e d , t h e s e ch ang es had one bad e f f e c t .. T a in g d a , who now became Mingyi o r G r e a t M i n i s t e r ,. e n t e r t a i n e d a s t r o n g a n i m o s ity a g a i n s t th e E n g l i s h .. 25. As he was. th e most p o v /e rfu l man i n th e Hlutdaw o r th e Burmese Supreme C o u n c il, h i s a t t i t u d e tov/ards th e E n g l i s h was bound to a f f e c t Anglo-Burmese re la tio n s.. T here v/as, however, a p r o - E n g l i s h m oderate Mingyi. i n t h e C o u n c il.. 20. 21. He v/as th e Kinwun M ingyi.. HTWP, Mss. E u r. E25^- ( I n d i a O f f i c e L i b r a r y ) , T h i r k e l l W h i te 's Mote "The L a s t King o f Burma", p . 2 ; G r a t t a n G eary , Burma a l t e r th e C onquest (London 1 8 8 6 ), p.2C 6; W .S .D esai, Deposed King Thibaw o f Burma i n I n d i a (Bombay 1967)1 p . 2 . R em in isce n c e s o f th e C o u rt o f Mandalay: e x t r a c t s from th e D iary o f G e n e ra l H orace A. Browne, 1859-1879 (1 9 0 7 )1 p . l 6A. G e n e ra l Browne v/as th e l a s t B r i t i s h R e s id e n t a t Mandalay.. '" 'HTWP1, "The L a s t King o f Burma", p . 2 . 23. D e s a i, o p . c i t . , p . 2.. 2bTaw. S e in Ko, Burmese S k e tc h e s ( R a n g o o n. 1913) 1 p p . ^ 7 - ^ 8 ..

(21) A v e ry e n e r g e t i c and u p r i g h t man, he r o s e from an o r d i n a r y Wun o r d i s t r i c t governor. to th e p o s i t i o n o f 'P rim e M i n i s t e r ' .. He. 26 was v ery p o p u l a r and r e s p e c t e d f o r h i s s c h o l a r l y d i s p o s i t i o n . ' But h i s power and i n f l u e n c e were g r e a t l y e c l i p s e d by th o s e o f th e T ain g d a M ingyi.. 28. th e C o u r t,'. 27. A ltho ug h he s t i l l c o n tin u e d to be a f o r c e a t. he f a i l e d to in d u c e th e p u p p e t Thibaw t o c a r r y on. th e Government a lo n g th e l i n e s l a i d down by h i s f a t h e r Mindon. No v/onder Anglo-Burmese r e l a t i o n s r i g h t from th e b e g in n in g o f T h ib a w 's r e i g n "were o f an e x tre m e ly u n s a t i s f a c t o r y and, a t ti m e s , h o s tile c h a ra c te r. One o f th e e a r l i e s t s i g n s o f t h i s changed r e l a t i o n s h i p c o u ld be s e e n i n an a s s a u l t made on th e Commander o f th e Irraw ad d y F l o t i l l a Company's S te a m e r Yankeentoung and th e f o r c i b l e a b d u c t io n o f c e r t a i n p a s s e n g e r s from th e v e s s e l w h ile a t Myingyan on th e n i g h t o f 31 O cto b er l 8V'8 . ^ ^. The r e l a t i o n s h i p d e t e r i o r a t e d r a p i d l y f o llo w in g. th e B r i t i s h R e s i d e n t ' s r e m o n s tra n c e s o v e r th e a l l e g e d m a ssacre o f some e i g h t y members o f th e r o y a l f a m ily a t T h ib av /'s a c c e s s i o n .'"31 The Burmese Government th o u g h t t h a t su ch r e a c t i o n on th e p a r t o f th e B r i t i s h was n o t i n c o n f o r m ity w ith ’ th e Grand F r i e n d s h i p T r e a t y '. 26 Taw S e in Ko, o p . c i t . , p . ^ 7 . See a l s o R .R .L a n g h am -C arter, "The Kinwun Mingyi a t Home", JBRS, v o l . XXV, p a r t I I I , p . 127 (1 9 3 5 ). Taw S e in Ko, o p . c i t . , p .V 7 . p8. R e m in is c e n c e s o f th e C o u rt o f M andalay, p . l 6 l . 29. P o l i t i c a l and S e c r e t Memorandum, B^9 ( I n d i a O f f ic e L i b r a r y ) , Burma by O .T .B urn e, 17 F e b ru a ry 1886. See a l s o B 26 Burmah: a t t i t u d e o f King Theebaw, l 8oA. ' ^Cmd. A6lA , 18 8 6. C o rresp o n d en ce r e l a t i n g to Burmah s i n c e th e a c c e s s i o n o f King Theebaw i n O c to b e r 1 8 7 8 , p p . 8 - 9 .. 31I b i d . , p . 7 ..

(22) w hich was con clu d ed i n 1862.. Thus th e Burmese M i n i s t e r f o r F o r e ig n. A f f a i r s w rote to th e B r i t i s h R e s i d e n t , R.B.Shaw, on 22 F e b ru a ry 1879 v /ith r e f e r e n c e to t h a t t r e a t y : " i n c o n f o r m ity th e rev/i t h th e Burmese Government alw ay s d e s i r e and hope t h a t th e dom inions o f th e B r i t i s h Government may be i n p e a c e and w ith o u t d i s t u r b a n c e ; and th e M i n i s t e r t r u s t s and b e l i e v e s t h a t th e B r i t i s h Government do a l s o d e s i r e and hope th e same w ith r e s p e c t to th e dom inions o f th e Burmese G overn ment. In r e g a r d to th e c l e a r i n g and k e e p in g - b y m a t t e r ^ k illin g and im p r is o n m e n t /, ( M i n i s t e r would rem ark) t h a t su ch a c t i o n i s ta k e n i n c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f th e p a s t and th e fu tu r e , o n ly when t h e r e s h o u l d e x i s t a cau se f o r d i s t u r b a n c e . "32 The. F o r e i g n M i n i s t e r made i t c l e a r t h a t th e k i l l i n g and im priso nm ent. o f c e r t a i n members o f t h e. r o y a l f a m ily were a p o l i t i c a l n e c e s s i t y. and were q u i t e i n c o n fo rm ity v /ith Burmese t r a d i t i o n . 33 The B r i t i s h r e m o n s tr a n c e s seem to have cau sed a c e r t a i n d is c o n t e n tm e n t among th e Upper Burrnans, e s p e c i a l l y th o s e l i v i n g i n th e C a p i t a l and i t s im m ediate v i c i n i t y .. I t seems t h a t th e. p e o p le viewed th e B r i t i s h s t a n d r e g a r d i n g th e m a ss a c re a s an i n t e r f e r e n c e i n t h e i r c o u n t r y ' s i n t e r n a l a f f a i r s . The f o ll o w i n g e x t r a c t from th e Mandalay C o n f i d e n t i a l D iary o f R.B.Shaw d a t e d 26-27 May 1879 i s w o rth n o t i n g i n t h i s c o n n e c tio n :. ^ Cmd. 9 6 lA , 18 8 6, p . 23, E n c lo s u re 11 i n Government o f I n d i a ' s L e t t e r No. 65 o f 20 March l 8 ? 9 . 33 A cco rd in g to th e t r a d i t i o n a l p a t t e r n o f power s t r u g g l e i n Burma, a lm o s t e v e ry s u c c e s s i o n to t h e ? th r o n e was accom panied by th e k i l l i n g o f c e r t a i n p e r s o n s o f / b l o o d r o y a l . Thus King Bodawpaya ( 1782- 1819 ) made a c l e a n sv/eep o f h i s r i v a l s v/ith t h e i r f o l l o w e r s , s e r v a n t s and c h i l d r e n , w h ile King Bagyidaw ( l 8 l 9 - l 8 3 7 ) e x e c u te d two o f h i s u n c l e s , one v/ith h i s e n t i r e f a m ily and a l l l o y a l f o l l o w e r s . So, a s G .E.H arvey o b s e r v e d , T h ibav/'s m a ssa c re " d i f f e r e d from i t s f o r e r u n n e r s n e i t h e r i n e x t e n t n o r h o r r o r b u t o n ly in t a k i n g p l a c e i n th e f u l l l i g h t o f modern p u b l i c i t y " . See H i s t o r y o f Burma (London 1925)1 p p . 26A, 2 9 5 1 338..

(23) "T his m orning / 2 6 May 1 8 7 ^ 7 ’ when th e A s s i s t a n t R e s i d e n t , Mr. P h a y r e , v/as r e t u r n i n g from a r i d e , as he was p a s s i n g a group o f young men (Burmese) he v/as j e e r e d a t and c a l l e d i n s u l t i n g n a m e s . . . . . Such i n s u l t i n g c o n d u c t to w ard s th e o f f i c e r s o f th e R e s i d e n c y have become r a t h e r common d u rin g th e l a s t month o r t w o . . . . "3^ C o lo n e l Horace Brov/ne, v/ho su c c e e d e d R.B.Shaw a s R e s id e n t i n June l879» r e c o r d e d a s i m i l a r e x p e r i e n c e i n h i s Mandalay C o n f i d e n t i a l D iary o f 31 J u l y - 2 August 1879: "T h is ev en in g /J. A ugust 18797 an a n g ry crowd o f royal s e r v a n t s a p p e a r e d armed v/ith s t i c k s a t th e g a t e o f th e R esid e n cy compound and e x p r e s s e d t h e i r i n t e n t i o n o f b e a t i n g th e Koola v/ho had s t r u c k a dog i n th e s t r e e t . "35 Thus th e R e s id e n t and h i s s t a f f were p a s s i n g a n x io u s n i g h t s d u rin g t h i s p e r i o d . Colone. Brov/ne, who rem a in ed in t h e p o s t t i l l th e. w ith d ra w a l o f tbe R esid en cy i n O c to b e r 1 8 7 9 1 d e s c r i b e d th e s i t u a t i o n i n h i s p e r s o n a l d i a r y i n t h e f o ll o w i n g words: "We a r e l i v i n g on t h e s lo p e o f a v o lc a n o , u n a b le to p e e r o v e r th e edge i n t o t h e c r a t e r , and w ith no r e l i a b l e se ism o g ra p h to warn u s v/hen an e r u p t i o n i s l i k e l y to ta k e p l a c e . "38 th e The w ith d ra w a l o f / B r i t i s h R esid e n c y was f o llo w e d by tv/o o t h e r a n ti- B r itis h in c id e n ts,. su ch a s th e a s s a u l t on th e crew o f th e r i v e r. S tea m er Shwe Myo on 13 November 1879 and th e s e i z u r e and d e t e n t i o n o f th e r i v e r S team er Yunan on 26 May 1880. The Burmese Government h a v in g f a i l e d to g i v e s a t i s f a c t o r y e x p l a n a t i o n s i n r e f e r e n c e to t h e s e a f f a i r s , 37. th e Government o f I n d i a p ro p o s e d to w ithdraw from. ^Cir.d. 4 6 l 4 , p . 28. j 5 I b i d . , p . 49. 36 ^ R e m in isc e n c e s o f th e C o u rt o f M andalay, p . l 6 2 . See a l s o P o l i t i c a l and S e c r e t ^ Memoranda, B 2 1 , C o rresp o n d en ce r e l a t i n g to th e A f f a i r s o f B u rm a ,P a rt 1, p . 59. "TT, vol." 80, p p . 761, 7 6 7 -7 6 8 , C o rresp o n d en ce r e l a t i n g to th e A f f a i r s o f Burm a^ 1880-1885..

(24) 9J 9J K th e t r e a t i e s o f 1862 and 1867.. But Lord H a r t i n g t o n , th e S e c r e t a r y. o f S t a t e f o r I n d i a , d id n o t ap p ro v e th e p r o p o s a l . In a Minute o f 7 December 1880 he w rote: "The p o l i c y a p p e a r s to be e x tre m e ly q u e s t i o n a b l e . I t i s c o n c e i v a b l e t h a t th e c o n d u c t o f th e Burmese Government may compel u s to ta k e t h i s o r even some s t r o n g e r s t e p , b u t I am i n c l i n e d to t h i n k t h a t we s h o u ld w ith h o l d th e a u t h o r i t y ask e d f o r to denounce t h e t r e a t y , n o t a s a p o l i t i c a l m easure, b u t a s a f i s c a l and a d m i n i s t r a t i v e o n e . "28 However, th e a t t i t u d e o f th e I n d i a n and Rangoon a u t h o r i t i e s v/as c o n s i d e r a b l y s t i f f e n e d a f t e r th o s e i n c i d e n t s . They were no l o n g e r read y to e x h i b i t a n x i e t y f o r c l o s e r r e l a t i o n s w ith th e King o f Burma, a s th e y had done i n th e p a s t . So th e y s u g g e s te d to th e S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e t h a t i n f u t u r e th e f i r s t o v e r t u r e s f o r a r e v i s i o n 39 o f r e l a t i o n s must o r i g i n a t e from th e King o f B urm a.'''. The S e c r e t a r y. of S ta te concurred. T h is s t a n d v/as m a in ta i n e d t i l l A p r i l 1882 when a Burmese M issio n a r r i v e d a t S im la.. In i t th e S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e saw i n d i c a t i o n s. o f a change o f p o l i c y a t th e Burmese C o u rt and hoped t h a t i t m ight be found p o s s i b l e to r e - e s t a b l i s h r e l a t i o n s betw een th e Government o f I n d i a and t h a t o f Burma on a f o o t i n g which v/ould be m u tu a lly sa tisfa c to ry .. k'l. V a rio u s m a t t e r s v/ere d i s c u s s e d betv/een th e Govern. ment o f I n d i a and th e Burmese e n v o y s. The Burmese envoys p ro p o s e d , among o t h e r t h i n g s , a d i r e c t t r e a t y v/ith th e Queen o f B r i t a i n f o r f r e e i m p o r t a t i o n o f arms th r o u g h th e B r i t i s h Burma s e a p o r t s , and. 38. 39 40. /-. I-IC, v o l . Bo, p . 7 6 9 . C o rresp o n d en ce r e l a t i n g to th e A f f a i r s o f Burma>,; 188O -I8 8 3. i b i d . , p . 772. I b i d . , p . 773.. n ib id . , p . 776..

(25) f o r an i n c r e a s e i n th e e x i s t i n g Burmese custom s d u t i e s from 3 ° / o to 1 0 ° / o .. The I n d ia n Government i n s i s t e d on t h e s e c u r i t y and. p r o p e r r e c e p t i o n o f th e B r i t i s h R e s i d e n t a t Mandalay. The d i s c u s s io n a p p e a re d to be a s u c c e s s . were r e c a l l e d by t h e i r Government.. But s u d d e n ly t h e Burmese envoys kZ. I t i s n o t known why King Thibaw r e c a l l e d h i s envoys so a b r u p t l y . The King was a b o u t t h i s tim e d e e p ly in v o l v e d v /ith th e F re n c h . The l a t t e r w ith th e b l e s s i n g s o f th e T a in g d a Mingyi were now a f o r c e a t th e C o u r t.. I t m ight p o s s i b l y have b een t h a t Thibaw. was u n d e r p r e s s u r e from th e F re n c h n o t to y i e l d a n y t h in g to th e B r i t i s h . The a r r i v a l o f a Burmese M issio n at P a r i s i n May l8 8 3 i a p p a r e n t l y f o r th e p u rp o s e of g a t h e r i n g i n f o r m a t i o n r e l a t i n g to i n d u s t r i a l a r t s and s c i e n c e s , ^3 made th e B r i t i s h s u s p i c i o u s o f a Fra.nco-Burmese c o n s p ir a c y a g a i n s t t h e i r i n t e r e s t s i n I n d o -C h in a . I t was an a la r m in g s i t u a t i o n f o r th e B r i t i s h - a l a r m in g b e c a u se o f 't h e a g g r e s s i v e and u n q u i e t s p i r i t ' o f F re n c h p o l i c y .. The F ren ch. had now made th e m s e lv e s m a s t e r s o f Cochin C hin a, Cambodia, Annam and Tongking.. T h e i r n e x t move v/as to o b t a i n a d e f i n i t e f o o t - h o l d. i n th e Upper V a lle y o f th e Irra w a d d y .. I t v/as i m p o s s i b l e f o r a. B r i t i s h a d m i n i s t r a t i o n i n Lower Burma to a c q u i e s c e i n such a f o o t h o ld b e in g i n t e r p o s e d betw een B r i t i s h Burma and C h in a .. I t would. n o t o n ly a f f e c t B r i t i s h com m ercial i n e r e s t s i n t h a t r e g i o n , i t would. ^ H C , v o l . 80, pp. 779-78S. 4;;Cmd. A6l A , 1886, p . 103. Zfif. H a l l , op . c i t . , p .1 7 1 . DP, R eel 316, Mo. l 6 , from Lord K im b e rley , S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e , 3 F e b ru a ry 1883..

(26) 25 a l s o c r e a t e c e r t a i n p r a c t i c a l d i f f i c u l t i e s f o r th e B r i t i s h .. If. Upper Burma p a s s e d u n d e r F re n c h i n f l u e n c e w ith i t s o n ly o r c h i e f a c c e s s to th e s e a a c r o s s a B r i t i s h r a i l w a y o r a lo n g a B r i t i s h r i v e r , t h e r e would be p r o b a b i l i t y o f f r e q u e n t d i f f e r e n c e s betw een E n g l is h snd F re n c h o f f i c i a l s on th e two s i d e s o f th e b o r d e r and t h e s e d i f f e r e n c e s m ight any day become s e r i o u s .. A gain, th e F re n c h , i f. e s t a b l i s h e d i n Upper Burma, might a t t e m p t to g e t o t h e r E uropean n a t i o n s j o i n them i n n e u t r a l i s i n g Upper Burma and making t h e r i v e r Irraw add y open to v e s s e l s o f a l l th e w o rld .. Above a l l ,. th e y m ight. be a t h r e a t to th e I n d ia n N o r t h - E a s t e r n F r o n t i e r . So th e B r i t i s h were f e e l i n g v e ry u n easy a t th e g ro w ing i n tim acy between th e Burmese and th e F r e n c h .. Lord Lyons, th e B r i t i s h. Ambassador i n P a r i s , was i n c o n s t a n t to u c h w ith th e F re n c h F o r e ig n M i n i s t r y i n o r d e r to know what was g o in g on betw een th e Burmese envoys and th e F re n c h Government.. E a r l y i n November, 1883 Lord. Lyons made i t c l e a r to th e th e n F ren ch F o r e ig n M i n i s t e r , M. C h a lle m e l L a c o u r, t h a t i n con sequence o f i t s v i c i n i t y to B r i t i s h I n d i a and o f i t s p o l i t i c a l r e l a t i o n s w ith t h a t Em pire, Burma o c c u p ie d a p e c u l i a r p o s i t i o n w i t h r e g a r d to th e B r i t i s h G overnment, and one which gave them a s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t i n a l l t h a t co n c e rn e d i t .. 46. When. i t v/as u n d e r s to o d t h a t a t r e a t y was a b o u t to be s ig n e d betw een th e Burmese envoys and th e F ren ch Government, Lord Lyons met M. J u l e s i ‘e r r y , C h a l l e m e l 's s u c c e s s o r , on 12 December 1883 and t o l d him t h a t th e B r i t i s h Government e n t e r t a i n e d s e r i o u s o b j e c t i o n s to any ag ree m en t between Burma and a f o r e i g n Government c o n t a i n i n g s t i p u l a t i o n s beyond.

(27) t h o s e o f a p u r e l y com m ercial c h a r a c t e r . ’r. F e r r y a s s u r e d Lyons. t h a t any t r e a t i e s o r c o n v e n tio n s which m ight be th e r e s u l t o f t h e F ranco-B urm ese n e g o t i a t i o n s would be o f a com m ercial o r cons u la r c h a ra c te r.. 48. F e r r y , how ever, a d m itt e d t h a t th e Burmese envoys. i n s i s t e d on an a l l i a n c e o f d e f e n s iv e and o f f e n s i v e n a t u r e , and t h a t th e F ren ch Government d id n o t a c c e p t an o f f e r o f t h i s k in d .. 49. But th e Franco-B urm ese T r e a t y , which was e v e n t u a l l y c o n clu d ed 50 i n J a n u a ry 18 8 5 , a lth o u g h com m ercial i n n a t u r e , d id n o t s p e c i f y th e f u n c t i o n s o f th e F re n c h C onsul who was to be s t a t i o n e d a t Mandalay. m a tte rs from th e. So th e C onsul c o u ld , i f n e c e s s a r y , meddle i n p o l i t i c a l. to th e g r e a t d is a d v a n t a g e o f th e B r i t i s h .. T h is v/as c l e a r. p r o c e e d i n g s o f M. H aas, who a r r i v e d i n Mandalay i n May. 1885 to ta k e up h i s d u t i e s a s c o n s u l.. He im m e d ia te ly began to a c t. i n a v/ay which was q u i t e i n c o n s i s t e n t w ith th e a s s u r a n c e s o f J u l e s F e r r y . The F ren ch C onsul v/as r e p o r t e d to be t r y i n g h a r d to e s t a b l i s h h i m s e l f s t r o n g l y a t Mandalay. 51 w ith t h e Burmese M i n i s t e r s .. He was c o n s t a n t l y i n to u ch. Soon i t came to th e n o t i c e o f th e. B r i t i s h Burma a u t h o r i t i e s t h a t th e F ren ch had managed to e x t r a c t from th e Burmese Government c e r t a i n c o n c e s s io n s o f a v e r y e x t e n s i v e n a t u r e . The F re n c h , i t v/as l e a r n t , were to c o n s t r u c t a ra ilv /a y from Mandalay to Toungoo, and to e s t a b l i s h a bank a t M andalay. As to th e. 7HC, v o l . 80, p . 791. ib id .,w o .79? " 9 I b i d . , p . 796. 5° I b i d . , p . 8 1 3 . 51. PSC1, v o l . 45, p . 209, L e t t e r from B e rn a rd , th e C h ie f Com m issioner o f B r i t i s h Burma, to H.M.Durand, S e c r e t a r y to th e Goverment o f I n d i a , 4 J u l y 18 8 5 ..

(28) first,. th e F re n c h would make an o u t l a y f o r t h e e x p e n s e s o f con. stru c tio n .. In r e t u r n th e Burmese Government would by way o f th e. g u a r a n t e e i n c l u d e i n th e 'R ailw ay C o n t r a c t ' th e e a r t h - o i l custom s and th e im p o rt custom s on a l l European goods v i a t h e r i v e r I r r a waddy. The d u t i e s would be l e v i e d j o i n t l y by an Agent commissioned by th e F ren ch Government and one com missioned by th e Burmese Government, w h ile th e r e c e i p t s would be s e t o f f a g a i n s t th e i n t e r e s t due on th e o u t l a y f o r e x p e n s e s o f c o n s t r u c t i o n .. As to th e se c o n d ,. th e F ren ch would l a y o u t a c a p i t a l o f t w e n t y - f i v e m i l l i o n r u p e e s , h a l f o f which would be c o n s t i t u t e d th e s h a r e o f th e Burmese Govern ment.. The i n t e r e s t on th e o u t l a y v/ould ru n a t l ° / o . The 'Bank Con-. t r a c t ' a l s o v/ould i n c l u d e th e ruby mines and th e r e v e n u e s on t e a . 52 There were rumours o f o t h e r c o n c e s s i o n s , su ch a s th o s e o f s t a r t i n g F re n c h s te a m e r s on th e Irra w a d d y , e x p l o i t i n g th e je w e l m ines, and e s t a b l i s h i n g a t r a f f i c r o u t e from Upper Tongking th ro u g h th e Shan S t a t e s to M andalay. 53. Thus th e F re n c h were a b o u t to. dom inate a l l t r a d e and th e c h i e f s o u r c e s of rev en u e i n Upper Burma. M. Haas made i t q u i t e c l e a r , a s i t had been h i s i n t e n t i o n to do, t h a t th e F ren ch had a s much i n t e r e s t i n Upper Burma a s th e B r i t i s h , and t h a t th e l a t t e r ,. b e f o r e making any a t t e m p t to i n t e r f e r e i n th e. a f f a i r s o f Upper Burma, "must f i r s t come to some s e t t l e m e n t a t home w ith F r a n c e " ."54. He a l s o s u ccee d ed i n making th e Anglo-Burmese r i f t. 52 ^PSCI, v o l . 45, p p . 2 1 9-220 , two documents t r a n s l a t e d and a t t a c h e d to th e C h ie f C o m m is s io n e r's l e t t e r o f 28 J u ly 1885 . 7^ I b i d . , p . 209 . v o l . 8 l , p . 529, A r J f f r v t * ,. IJ. '885-.

(29) 28 com p lete by g i v i n g " t h e Burmese a l l th e good a d v ic e he p o s s i b l y could". For th e B r i t i s h th e s i t u a t i o n was so c r i t i c a l t h a t B e rn a rd , th e C h ie f Comm issioner o f B r i t i s h Burma, who was alw ay s opposed to th e i d e a o f a n n e x a tio n , th o u g h t t h a t th e m a t t e r c o u ld be s e t t l e d o n ly by th e use o f f o r c e . s i m i l a r view .. 56. The V ic e ro y , Lord D u f f e r i n , h e l d a. He w ro te to th e S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e on 2 A ugust 1885. t h a t th e e s t a b l i s h m e n t by F ran ce o f e x c l u s i v e o r dom inant i n f l u e n c e i n Upper Burma would i n v o l v e su ch s e r i o u s c o n seq u en c es to B r i t a i n ' s Burmese and I n d ia n p o s s e s s i o n s t h a t i t s h o u ld be p r e v e n t e d even a t th e r i s k o f h o s t i l i t i e s w ith M an d ala y .'57 When th e B r i t i s h were t h i n k i n g o f u s in g f o r c e came th e f i n a l p r o v o c a t i o n from th e Franco-Burm ese e n t e n t e .. The F re n c h v/ere n o t. s a t i s f i e d w ith what th e y had o b t a i n e d from th e Burmese by way o f c o n c e s s io n s } th e y w anted more.. T h e i r ey es f e l l upon th e Ningyan. te a k f o r e s t s which were th e n b e in g worked by a B r i t i s h f ir m , known a s th e Bombay Burms^i T ra d in g C o r p o r a t i o n , u n d e r a c o n t r a c t v/ith th e Burmese Government. The F ren ch Consul p e r s u a d e d Thibaw to ta k e th e f o r e s t s back from th e C o r p o r a ti o n and g iv e them to t h e F re n c h .. 58. C o i n c i d e n t a l l y , th e Burmese Government d is c o v e r e d c e r t a i n i r r e g u l a r i t i e s i n th e p r o c e e d in g s o f th e C o r p o r a t i o n . The l a t t e r was c h arg e d w ith e x t r a c t i n g more th a n tw ic e th e number o f l o g s p a i d f o r , w ith b r i b i n g th e l o c a l o f f i c i a l s and v/ith f a i l i n g to pay i t s Burmese. 55 '""'HC. , v o l . 8 l , p . 529. T h is i s known from a p r i v a t e l e t t e r o f A n d rein o , th e I t a l i a n Consul a t M andalay, to Jon os o f th e Bombay Burma T ra d in g C o r p o r a ti o n , d a te d 13 S eptem ber 1885 . A n d rein o , who was i n c l o s e to u c h v/ith th e F re n c h C o n su l, a c t e d as a B r i t i s h i n f o r m e r on a r e m u n e r a tio n o f Rs. 2 ,0 0 0 a y e a r . 56 PSCI, v o l . A5 , p . 212, B e r n a r d 's l e t t e r to Government o f I n d i a , 27 J u l y 1885. 5 7 I b i d . , p . 213. 58_ ^ I b i d . , p . 225, B e rn a rd to Durand ( D e m i - o f f i c i a l ) , 11 A ugust 1885 ..

(30) 29 em p lo y ees.. I t i s d i f f i c u l t t o say how f a r t h e s e c h a r g e s were. r e a l , b u t th e y p r o v id e d Thibaw w ith good g ro u n d s f o r im p o sin g a heavy f i n e on th e C o r p o r a t i o n . The l a t t e r was f i n e d a sum o f £ 1 ^ 6 ,0 0 0 and v/as o r d e r e d to pay £33>333 to th e f o r e s t e r s . T h is was, in d e e d , a heavy blow to t h e C o r p o r a t i o n .. I t meant t h a t e i t h e r. th e C o r p o r a ti o n c o u ld pay and s t a y , o r q u i t . But th e f ir m had a v e ry b ig s t a k e i n i t s u n d e r t a k i n g . T h is m ight be gauged from th e f a c t t h a t i t had s e v e r a l th o u s a n d s o f em p lo yees, o f whom some 2 ,0 0 0 were B r i t i s h s u b j e c t s , 900 e l e p h a n t s , some 1 0 ,0 0 0 b u f f a l o e s , and a b o u t 19 C, 000 l o g s o f t e a k i n d i f f e r e n t c o n d i t i o n s o f p r e p a r e d n e s s f o r e x p o r t . 59. The Government o f I n d i a c o u ld n o t a c q u i e s c e i n th e go d e c i s i o n o f th e Burmese Government. They p ro p o s e d t h a t th e m a t t e r s h o u ld go b e f o r e an a r b i t r a t o r .. 6l '. T h is b e in g r e j e c t e d ,. an u ltim a tu m was d e s p a tc h e d to King Thibaw on 22 O cto b er 1885 . The te rm s o f t h i s u ltim a tu m were th e r e c e p t i o n o f an envoy w ith f r e e a c c e s s to th e K ing, th e s u s p e n s i o n o f p r o c e e d i n g s a g a i n s t th e Bombay-BurmakCorporation u n t i l th e a r r i v a l o f th e envoy, and th e a c c e p ta n c e o f a p erm a n en t R e s id e n t v/ith a p r o p e r g u a r d f o r h i s p r o t e c t i o n . The Burmese Government v/ere a l s o v/arned t h a t th e y would be e x p e c te d i n f u t u r e to r e g u l a t e t h e i r e x t e r n a l a f f a i r s i n ac c o rd a n c e v/ith th e a d v i c e o f th e Government o f I n d i a and to g r a n t p r o p e r f a c i l i t i e s f o r th e developm ent o f B r i t i s h t r a d e w ith W estern 62 C hina th ro u g h Bhamo.. ^ P SC l, v o l . 45, p p . 9 2 1 -92 2, B e r n a r d 's D e m i - o f f i c i a l to Durand, 15 S eptem b er 1885 . k^Cmd. ^-6lA, p . 206, L e t t e r from th e O f f i c i a t i n g S e c . to th e C h ie f Comm issioner, B r i t i s h Burma, to th e M i n i s t e r f o r F o r e ig n A f f a i r s a t M andalay, 28 A ugust 1885 . 6 l I b i d . , p . 207. r-. I b i d . , p . 221..

(31) The Burmese Government r e a c t e d s h a r p l y .. On 7 November. Thibaw i s s u e d a p r o c la m a t io n to h i s s u b j e c t s c a l l i n g f o r a h o ly war a g a i n s t th e E n g l is h K a l a s .. 63. The f o ll o w i n g e x t r a c t. from t h i s p r o c l a m a t i o n i s w o rth n o t i n g : "Those h e r e t i c s , th e E n g l i s h K a la s b a r b a r i a n s , h a v in g most h a r s h l y made demands c a l c u l a t e d to b r i n g a b o u t th e im p airm en t and d e s t r u c t i o n o f o u r r e l i g i o n , th e v i o l a t i o n o f o u r n a t i o n a l t r a d i t i o n s and cu sto m s, and th e d e g r a d a t i o n o f o u r r a c e , a r e making a show and p r e p a r a t i o n a s i f a b o u t to wage war w ith o u r S t a t e .......... To uphold th e r e l i g i o n , to uph old th e n a t i o n a l h o n o u r, to up hold th e c o u n t r y ’s i n t e r e s t s , w i l l b r i n g a b o u t t h r e e f o l d good; goad o f o u r r e l i g i o n , good o f o u r m a s t e r , and good o f o u r s e l v e s .......... Whoever, t h e r e f o r e , i s w i l l i n g to j o i n and s e r v e z e a l o u s l y w i l l be a s s i s t e d by H is M a je s ty w ith r o y a l re w a rd s and r o y a l money, and be made to s e r v e i n th e c a p a c i t y f o r which he may be f i t . "64 T h is p r o c l a m a t i o n seems to have made a g r e a t d e a l o f a p p e a l to th e r e l i g i o u s and n a t i o n a l s e n ti m e n t o f th e Burmese p e o p l e . B o s ^ came fo rw ard and to o k an o a t h to h e lp th e K i n g . ^. Numerous. But t h e r e. was h a r d l y any time l e f t f o r Thibaw to assem b le a l a r g e army,. 67. beca u se w i t h i n a week o f th e i s s u e o f h i s p r o c l a m a t i o n th e B r i t i s h t r o o p s , commanded by M a jo r- G e n e r a l P r e n d e r g a s t , were on t h e i r way to Mandalay.. 63. 64. 63. K ala means, i n th e f i r s t p l a c e , a n a t i v e o f I n d i a and, s e c o n d ly , any W estern f o r e i g n e r , such a s an Arab o r E u rop ean , H .Y ule, A N a r r a t i v e o f th e M issio n s e n t by th e G o v e rn o r-G e n e ra l o f I n d i a to th e C ourt o f Ava i n 1833 (London 1 8 3 8 ) , p . 3 . Crnd. 4 6 l 4 , p . 237* The Burmese r e p l y to th e u ltim a tu m , which was r e c e iv e d on 9 November 1 8 8 3 * was ta n ta m o u n t to a r e f u s a l o r e v a s io n o f th e t h r e e te rm s , Crnd. 4 6 l 4 , p .2 3 0 , T e l . from V icero y to th e S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e , 10 November 1883. B orneans ' c a p t a i n ' .. Here i t i s synonymous w ith ' l e a d e r ' .. M E I , v o l . 957, M 1927, p . 5. T h ib a w 's t r o o p s were e s t i m a t e d to number a t most 2 0 , 0 0 0 , i n c l u d i n g p e r h a p s a few th o u s a n d h a s t i l y r a i s e d l e v i e s drawn from s h o p - k e e p e r s , w r i t e r s , c a r p e n t e r s , t a i l o r s and c u l t i v a t o r s . See H i s t o r y o f th e T h ir d Burmese War, P e r i o d 1, I n t e l l i g e n c e Branch o f Q u a r t e r - M a s t e r G e n e r a l 's E epartm ent i n I n d i a , 1887» p . 36; E.D.Cuming, In th e Shadow o f th e Pagoda (London l 8 9 7 ) i p . 230; G eary, o p . c i t . , p . 6 0 . /O °°The B r i t i s h E x p e d i t i o n a r y E o rce c r o s s e d th e f r o n t i e r on 14 November 188 I t s s t r e n g t h was 1 1 ,8 4 4 , i n c l u d i n g f o l l o w e r s » ..

(32) 31 The Government o f I n d i a ' s a c t i o n was a f t e r w a r d s f i e r c e l y c r i t i c i s e d i n th e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t . H u n te r, an o p p o s i t i o n member, c h a rg e d th e Government w ith waging an u n n e c e s s a r y war a g a i n s t th e King o f Burma.. H is argum ent was t h a t Upper Burma, b e i n g s e p a r a t e d from. th e s e a by a B r i t i s h P r o v i n c e , was e n t i r e l y a t th e mercy o f B r i t a i n i n a m i l i t a r y s e n s e . 69. H u n te r a l s o p o i n t e d o u t t h a t th e a n n e x a tio n. o f Upper Burma v/as n o t a new i d e a and t h a t f o r many y e a r s t h e r e had been an a n n e x a t i o n i s t p a r t y , n o t o nly among th e m e rc h a n ts o f Ran goon, b u t a l s o in th e r a n k s o f th e Government S e r v i c e . The Government o f I n d i a , he th o u g h t , were so i n f l u e n c e d by t h i s p a r t y t h a t th ey were n o t a n x io u s to s e t t l e th e d i s p u t e w ith th e King o f Burma.. 70. He arg u e d t h a t th e d i s p u t e o v e r th e Bombay Burma T r a d in g C o r p o r a ti o n ca s e c o u ld have been am icab ly s e t t l e d , i f th e Government o f I n d i a had w anted. Thus he w ro te : "T hat was e v i d e n t from a l e t t e r w r i t t e n by Mr. J o n e s , th e a g e n t o r r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of th e Bombay Company, to th e C h ie f C om m issioner o f Burmah, d a t e d th e 2 1 s t o f S eptem ber l a s t y e a r . He s a i d he c o u ld have s e t t l e d th e q u e s t i o n , and i t would have been i n th e i n t e r e s t s o f th e Company, i n a p e c u n i a r y s e n s e , t o have s e t t l e d it; b u t , h av in g been a s s i s t e d i n th e way th e y had been by th e Government, he was n o t g o in g to do i t . "71 But A n drein o, th e I t a l i a n C o n su l, who v/as a l s o an a g e n t o f th e C o r p o r a t i o n , a d m itt e d t h a t a l l arg u m en ts f o r an a m ic a b le s e t t l e m e n t v/ere e x h a u s te d .. Even i f th e d i s p u t e was s e t t l e d ,. th e b a s i c. problem which v/as c r e a t e d b e c a u se o f th e grow ing F re n c h i n f l u e n c e. 69. H a n s a r d 's P a r l i a m e n t a r y D e b a te s , v o l . CCCiI, 3 rd S e r i e s , London, l E s s r pp . 323-326, House o f Commons, 23 J a n u a ry 1886.. 7° I b i d . , p p . 326- 3 2 8 . 7l I b i d . , pp. 327-328. 72. Cmd. 4 6 l 4 , p . 208, T elegram from A n d rein o , d a te d 24 A ugust 1 8 8 3. C h a r le s Lee Keeton h a s g iv e n a.n e x c e l l e n t a c c o u n t o f th e Bombay Burma T rad in g C o r p o r a ti o n Case i n h i s r e c e n t v/ork, King The bay/ and th e E c o l o g i c a l Rape o f Burma ( D e lh i, 1 9 7 4 ), C h a p te r 7. There i s a l s o a huge mass o f o f f i c i a l papers on th e c a s e i n PSCI, v o l. 43..

(33) i n th e Upper V a ll e y o f th e Irraw add y would n o t have been so lv ed .. H u n te r d i d n o t m ention t h i s problem i n h i s s p e e c h .. H is. s p e e c h o n ly i n d i c a t e d th e e x i s t e n c e o f a com m ercial m o tiv e . There was, i n d e e d , a v e r y s tr o n g com m ercial m o tiv e , nam ely, th e d e s i r e to e s t a b l i s h com m ercial l i n k s v/ith S outh-W est C hina th r o u g h Bhamo. The r i v e r sy stem i n Burma seemed to p r o v id e p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r a c c e s s to th e C hina t r a d e . So th e F re n c h were a s much i n t e r e s t e d i n con t r o l l i n g t h e Upper V a lle y o f th e Irraw add y a s th e B r i t i s h .. In t h i s. s e n s e , th e co m m ercial m o tiv e , which H u n t e r ’s sp e e c h i n d i c a t e d , v/as c l o s e l y c o n n e c te d v/ith th e b a s i c p ro b lem . I n d e e d , t h e p r o s p e c t o f a l u c r a t i v e t r a d e v/ith th e p e o p l e o f S o u th -W est C hin a was made to lo o k v e ry p ro m isin g by th e p r o m o te r s o f t h i s scheme. They s a i d t h a t th e C h in e se p r o v i n c e s n e ig h b o u r i n g Burma c o n t a i n e d a p p r o x im a te ly 103 m i l l i o n i n h a b i t a n t s and t h a t su ch a v a s t p o p u l a t i o n was h a r d l y to u c h ed by European commerce.. 73. They a l s o spoke o f th e enormous w e a lth o f t h e s e p r o v i n c e s and t h e i r g ig a n tic trad e in te a , s ilk ,. r h u b a r b , to b a c c o , s u g a r , hemp, o i l ,. v a r n i s h and o t h e r co m m o d ities,. 74. t r a d e f o r 1855 a t a b o u t £ 5 0 0 ,0 0 0 .. and e s t i m a t e d th e v alu e o f t h i s 75. I n d e e d , f o r many y e a r s. i t had been th e o b j e c t o f th e B r i t i s h com m ercial com m unities to open up S o uth-W est C hina t o g e t h e r v/ith th e Shan S t a t e s to B r i t i s h commerce.. As f a r b ack a s 1829 Lord W illiam B e n tin c k and, i n 1 8 3 6 ,. 73 A r c h i b a l d R. Colq.uhoun, R ep o rt on th e Railway Connexion o f Burmah and C h in a (London 1 8 8 7 ), p . 11. 74 ‘ S e l e c t i o n s from th e R ecords o f th e Government o f I n d i a , p . 6 , Memorandum by t h e C h ie f Com m issioner o f B r i t i s h Burma, 3G June 1 8 6 9 , a t t a c h e d to th e O f f i c i a l N a r r a t i v e o f th e E x p e d i ti o n to E x p lo re th e t r a d e r o u t e s to C hina v i a Bhamo u n d e r th e g u id a n c e o f M ajor E .B .S la d e n ( C a l c u t t a 1 8 7 0 ) . ' "'' i b i d . , p . 2 ; Colquhoun, Burma and th e Burmans (London I 8 0 5 ) »p • 53 ..

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