CXCIU 



BRITISH BURMA. 



.Tfil. The provinces of Britisli Biirmn, wliicli have been acquired 

 in tlie lirpt :inj second Burmedfi campaiffns, 



..rm.rr u^rjore'f'' ""• -"« ''-t r'f-l "-'- - chief commissioner 



in 1800-01, by amalgamating Arritcan to the 

 north, Pegu in the centre, and Tenasseriin to tiie south, wliipli territory 

 extends nearly a thousaml miles along tlie eastern side of the Bay of 

 15engal, and reaching to where, zoologically speaking, Wallace defines 

 the Malay Archipel.igcj to commence, from its northern bounddry the 

 Naf estuary at 20° 50' north latitude, to the Pakchan stream in the 

 south at about the 10° of north latitude. The whole aggregates about 

 90,070 square miles, with a population of .about 26 to the square mile. 

 3GZ. The fresh-water fisheries in British Burma are of consider- 

 able value, as will be seen by the revenue 

 The mode of disposing of returns, !is upwards of 540,000 rupees a year 



rresh-water nslicries uuaer na- • i c ,t v • i /• 



tive rule. ^''6 received Irom the licensing tlie use of 



nets and farming out the tank and smaller 

 river fisheries. Ma,jor Sladen having obtained for me from INIandalay 

 a statement of how the fisheries under tlie King of Burma are managed, 

 I insert it in this place. It has been the practice in Upper Burma to 

 .•innually collect revenue from the fisheries of lakes and ponds, the 

 lunount in cacli case being assessed by the local oflicials; but should the 

 Revenue Minister mistrust the statement, he sends a Deputy to exa- 

 mine and decide. In villages where there are " amhoodans" or hereditary 

 slaves of the Government, whose necks and hands are tattooed, they 

 and the headman of the village oul}', and to the exclusion of everybody 

 else, are entitled to become the lessee of any fisheries which ra.ay exist. 

 In the absence of " amhoodans," the he.idman becomes the renter : should 

 there be both, they h.ave the fisheries on alternate years. The sub-lessee 

 works from October to April, and fisheries are formally made over in the 

 ]iresence of a witness, care being Laken that the rent is duly paid. 

 Sub-lessees often allow other fishermen to net their waters, the original 

 owner receiving two-thirds of the captures. The former sovereigns 

 used to [lermit the queens, concubines, princes, princesses, ministers, and 

 members of the Royal Dancing Company to enjoy the revenue from the 

 fisheries, but the present king has appropriated them and pays the 

 foregoing persons monthly salaries instead. Some sub-lessees pay direct 

 to the Royal Collectors, others through the heads of villages and town- 

 ships. In case no lessee comes forward, the inhabitants round a lake 

 or tank have to provide the annual revenue, for which the headman is 

 responsible. If fishermen wish to carry on their em|doyment in the 

 river, leave has to be obtained, and a defined tract is let out to each, 

 other;! being prohibited from interfering. Lately, at the instigation of 

 the Buddist priests or Poongees, an order has been issued, prohibiting, 

 under pain of imprisonment and other penalties, any one fishing within 

 the limits of the Royal ('ity of Mandal.ay ; also in some lakes, ponds, 

 and even a portion of the Irrawa<ldi Hiver, which are deemed to be 



