378 



INDIA. 



zone between Burmah and China. This course 

 resulted in raids and disturbances requiring 

 punitive expeditions, and, as the less costly 

 method, the military authorities occupied the 

 country of the Kachins south of the Tapin river, 

 and reduced them to submission. North of the 

 Tapin the tribes remained practically independ- 

 ent. The Chinese value the trade connection with 

 Burmah, and on their side of the border they 

 protect it with outposts and escorts. The plun- 

 dering of caravans on the British side led to com- 

 plaints, which were unheeded, and it was 'not 

 until they prepared to place a garrison on the 

 British bank of the Nampoung that the Chief 

 Commissioner decided to post detachments on 

 the river so as to take away every pretext for 

 Chinese encroachment, because the boundary line 

 is not settled by treaty and must yet be fixed by 

 an Anglo-Chinese boundary commission. The 

 jade mines were occupied also, lest China should 

 advance a claim to that district. Disturbances 

 in the district of the ruby mines necessitated a 

 large re-enforcement of the military police in the 

 district of Momeik, and the force was strength- 

 ened also in Katha and Bhamo and in the Chind- 

 win district, which Sir Alexander Mackenzie de- 

 termined to reduce to the settled and orderly 

 condition of most parts of Upper Burmah. It 

 was possible to draw away police from many 

 districts, because Upper Burmah had become 

 less free from dakoity and robbery than Lower 

 Burmah. The difficulties that have continually 

 arisen in the relations with the rich and power- 

 ful semi-independent state of Wuntho Sir 

 Charles Crossthwaite thought he had removed, by 

 treating the Tsawbwa that the British had set 

 up after removing the old one with great honor 

 and consideration. Sir Alexander Mackenzie 

 saw reason to reverse this policy. He demanded 

 the payment of fines for outrages committed in 

 Katha and the surrender of dakoits, and sent ex- 

 peditions to punish disturbers within the limits 

 of Wuntho. The Tsawbwa at first co-operated 

 in these measures. Afterward he took offense, 

 conspired with the old Tsawbwa, his father, who 

 still lived in the district, entered into corre- 

 spondence with rulers of other Shan states, and 

 collected arms for a rebellion against British 

 authority. The old Tsawbwa begun hostilities 

 by attacking and putting to flight a British 

 force that had entered Wuntho to put down dis- 

 turbances. The whole country instantly rose in 

 rebellion. Railroad buildings were destroyed, 

 telegraphs torn up, and all Indian officials driven 

 out. A force of troops was at once thrown into 

 Wuntho, but not sufficient to check the rebellion. 

 The old Tsawbwa went so far as to attack out- 

 posts in British territory, and several times as- 

 sailed Kawlin,- which was held by 600 British 

 troops. On Feb. 20 Sir A. Mackenzie issued a 

 proclamation deposing the Tsawbwa and an- 

 nouncing the annexation of Wuntho. Brig.-Gen. 

 Wolseley took command of the operations, and 

 2,500 European and Indian soldiers advanced 

 into Wuntho in two columns. The town of 

 Wuntho was occupied on Feb. 26, and the 

 Tsawbwa's palace was burned, to convince the 

 people that his rule was terminated. The British 

 carried on the war with great severity, but of- 

 fered free pardon to all who submitted without 

 resistance. The Tsawbwa attempted to make a 



stand in a stockade near his capital. His forces 

 were routed, and he fled with his father and the 

 noted dakoit chief Bo Le into the mountains. 

 The country was scoured by flying parties search- 

 ing for the fugitives and collecting rifles and 

 ammunition, of. which a vast quantity had been 

 smuggled in, and there was constant fighting 

 for weeks until the people were so thoroughly 

 cowed that they flocked in to deliver up their 

 arms. The elder Tsawbwa fled into China. The 

 younger one with his family went into hiding 

 between Mansi and the Chindwin river. He ap- 

 plied for pardon, promising to pay a heavy fine 

 if he were reinstated or his son made Tsawbwa 

 in his stead, and pleading that the rebellion was 

 the act of his father. The military occupation 

 was continued until the people settled down to 

 their ordinary occupations, and the country was 

 organized as a British province. A military 

 force took possession of the district of the jade 

 mines also. As soon as its subjugation could be 

 effected, the Chief Commissioner decided to 

 bring Momeik, which had been administered by 

 a tsawbwa as an autonomous Shan state, al- 

 though the people are mostly Kachyens and Bur- 

 mans, under direct British rule, as the disturb- 

 ances which had been harshly suppressed by the 

 British troops were caused by the misrule of the 

 chief whom Sir C. Crossthwaite had placed over 

 them. The district was occupied by 300 soldiers. 

 The company that had leased the ruby mines 

 asked to be released from payment of rent on 

 account of the disturbed state of the district. 

 The operations against the Chins in the hilly 

 country on the Bengal frontier were prosecuted 

 by a force of 2,000 men, who carried out nine ex- 

 peditions before the rainy season without making 

 much impression. The Thetta Chins, who had 

 murdered Mr. Wetherell and had cut the tele- 

 graph and killed Sepoy pickets, repulsed a puni- 

 tive expedition sent against them in January, 

 killing Lieut. James and a number of Goorkha 

 soldiers. This was the second defeat they had 

 inflicted on the British, and they only yielded 

 when two strong columns, with 'artillery, were 

 sent against them. Five columns, aggregating 

 800 rifles, made a start toward the conquest of 

 the Kachyens of the Bhamo district. 



The failure of the monsoon caused a serious 

 scarcity throughout Upper Burmah. Rice had 

 to be imported, and was sold at double the usual 

 price. Relief works, such as Sir A. Mackenzie 

 could provide with the means at his disposal, did 

 little to lessen the distress. The retarded rain- 

 fall, though deficient, averted a general famine. 

 The parsimonious policy pursued toward Bur- 

 mah by the Indian Government is the chief ob- 

 stacle to the pacification of the country. When 

 the railroads through Katha and Wuntho are 

 completed the difficulties with the Chins, Kach- 

 yens, and Shans will cease, and if the ancient irri- 

 gation works were restored, dakoity and other 

 disorders w T otild disappear. The railroad to 

 Mo*gaung will not be finished before April. 1893. 

 The Indian Government wishes to replace the 

 present army of occupation with Madras Sepoys, 

 but the Chief Commissioner objects to this ma- 

 terial because the Chins and Chinese Shans. and 

 even the Burmese dakoits, show contempt for the 

 Madrassis, who have proved themselves worthless 

 in the field. The Shans, Karens, and Kachyens 



