98 



BULGARIA. 



BUEMAH. 



Greece, and secured passports from the con- 

 suls of that country. The jioorer classes of 

 the Greeks, on the other hand, joined the Mo- 

 hammedans, making common cause with them 

 in disturbing the order and peaceful establish- 

 ment of the new regime. In the middle of 

 August the Bulgarian Cabinet addressed a 

 manifesto 'to the nation, in which it enjoined 

 the observance of the constitutional laws and 

 the preservation of the peace of the country, 

 and stated its determination to take all pos- 

 sible measures for preventing disturbances in 

 the principality ; at the same time it declared 

 its intention to direct its energies without de- 

 lay to the work of internal organization, and 

 to endeavor to merit the sympathy of the for- 

 eign Powers. At a monster meeting held at 

 Tirnova in the first week of September, a vote 

 of want of confidence in the ministry, for what 

 the speakers described as the anti-constitu- 

 tional acts of the Government, was unani- 

 mously passed, and the fact was telegraphed 

 directly to Prince Alexander at Sophia. The 

 session of the Assembly was opened on No- 

 vember 2d by Prince Alexander in person, 

 who in the speech from the throne expressed 

 gratification at the friendly treatment he had 

 met with from the great Powers, who had rec- 

 ognized the principality. He alluded to the 

 warm welcome given him in Servia and Rou- 

 mania, and expressed the profound gratitude 

 and unlimited veneration felt for the Czar- 

 Liberator by himself, his Government, and his 

 people. He announced that he had inaugurated 

 good and amicable relations with neighboring 

 states. He enumerated several bills to be pre- 

 sented to the Chamber, among others one rel- 

 ative to railways, a plan of which would be 

 submitted for examination ; and he also ex- 

 pressed a desire for the establishment of ob- 

 ligatory military service. He then alluded to 

 the brigandage which had made its appearance 

 in the eastern portion of the country after the 

 departure of the Russians, which had necessi- 

 tated the proclamation of a state of siege ; but, 

 he added, the evil had not spread. Speaking 

 of the financial situation, he said that the pres- 

 ent revenue was not sufficient, and that he 

 counted upon the patriotism of the Chamber, 

 upon whom the eyes of Europe were fixed, to 

 supply the deficit. After the delivery of the 

 speech, the House proceeded to elect its offi- 

 cers. M. Calaveloff was chosen President, and 

 MM. Stoyandoff and Fischeff Vice-Presidents. 

 As the Liberals were in a large majority, the 

 ministry on the 3d offered its resignation. 



Disturbances occurred in the latter part of 

 July in Rasgrad, in which Mohammedans at- 

 tacked the Bulgarians. They were quelled 

 within a few days, and forty-two of the insur- 

 gents being killed, the rest, after a short re- 

 sistance, took to flight, sheltering themselves 

 in the forests of Osman-Bazar. Other dis- 

 turbances occurred in various parts of the 

 principality, caused chiefly by bands of rob- 

 bers ; and even Bashi-Bazouks and furloughed 



Turkish soldiers took part in them. The Gov- 

 ernment, therefore, proclaimed a state of siege 

 in the department of Varna, and in some dis- 

 tricts of the departments of Tirnova and Rus- 

 tchuk, and at the same time complained to 

 the Turkish Government. 



BURMAH, a kingdom in Farther India ; area, 

 190,000 square miles; population, 4,000,000. 

 The capital is Mandalay, on the Irrawaddy, 

 about 200 miles beyond Thyetmayoo and Ton- 

 ghoo, two fortified towns of British Burmah, 

 the former situated on the Irrawaddy, the oth- 

 er on the Sitang River, which flows nearly par- 

 allel with the Irrawaddy, and is connected with 

 it through the Pegu River and a recently opened 

 navigable canal. Mandalay is separated from 

 the Irrawaddy by two miles of swampy coun- 

 try, cut up by creeks. In July, August, and Sep- 

 tember, when the river is at its highest, light 

 gunboats could approach the city by some of 

 these creeks. The city itself is about one mile 

 square, surrounded by a wall of sun-burnt brick 

 20 feet high, which is further protected by an 

 embankment of the same height and by a ditch 

 90 feet wide and 10 feet deep. The ditch is 

 crossed by five bridges. The palace is in the 

 center of the city, a quarter of a mile square 

 and strongly stockaded. The British residency 

 is between the river and the city. About 350 

 miles above Mandalay, and near the junction 

 of the Tapeng River with the. Irrawaddy, ia 

 Bhamo, a town well stockaded. The Tapeng is 

 navigable for 20 miles above Bhamo, by steam- 

 er in the rains, and by large boats at other sea- 

 sons. The Kakhyeng range of hills is reached 

 at 25 miles beyond Bhamo, and 110 miles far- 

 ther is Momein, an important place, situated 

 in a valley 4,500 feet above the sea, and the 

 occupation of which would probably fall with- 

 in the scope of operations if the British should 

 ever come again into serious collision with the 

 Burmese Empire. 



Burmah is not yet open for travelers, and the 

 official reports of the Government of British 

 India are still our only source of information. 

 The government of the country is a pure des- 

 potism. There is no hereditary high nobility 

 of princes and nobles, who in times of danger 

 would rally for the support of the throne ; and 

 the Buddhist clergy, however numerous and 

 influential they are in many respects, are not 

 allowed to have any influence upon political 

 and secular affairs. The only kind of aristoc- 

 racy in the country consists of the numerous 

 princes, princesses, and their families in the 

 palace-city, and to them may be added the 

 highest dignitaries. The numerous state offi- 

 cers of lower rank can in no way be regarded 

 as a support of the throne, because its mem- 

 bers may at any moment be removed at the 

 pleasure of the King. Thus the members of 

 the embassy which was sent in 1872 to Eng- 

 land, the first sent to any European Court, 

 have been degraded to inspectors in workmen's 

 shops, because their reports on the great power 

 of England were not to the liking of the Bur- 



