604 An account of some of the Petty States [Oct. 



ensure the supply, has been the object of Dr. R.'s several visits. An 

 immense saving has been effected to Government in obtaining from 

 thence sufficient cattle for provisioning the European troops on the 

 coast, in lieu of procuring them from either Bengal or Madras. 



The trade of the country is unimportant. An annual caravan visits 

 it from the frontier provinces of China, bringing silks, satins, velvet 

 and woollens, (the latter chiefly English,) cooking vessels, musk, and 

 trifling articles of Chinese manufacture ; and carrying away chiefly raw 

 cotton, the produce of the country. It is expected that a portion of 

 this caravan will this year extend their journey to Maulamyne 14 , and 

 hopes are entertained that this will lead to annual visits in increasing 

 numbers, and the opening of an important overland trade between 

 China and our possessions on the Tenasserim coast. From Maulamyne 

 are received British piece goods, chintzes, muslins, hardware, &c. in 

 return for cattle, ivory, and a small quantity of stick-lack. With the 

 hill tribe on the west bank of the Salween they exchange cattle, grain 

 and betelnut (the latter from Maulamyne and Bankok), for slaves, 

 tin, lead, and stick-lac. 



It is evident from all that Dr. R. observed and reports, that both 

 the chiefs and people of this country are not only desirous of conti- 

 nuing on the most friendly and intimate footing with us, but that they 

 are really grateful for the immense benefit which our presence in 

 their neighbourhood has conferred upon their country ; and there is no 

 doubt that should any future danger menace them, they would gladly 

 place themselves under our protection, and see their country under 

 our rule. Our occupation of the provinces has spread peace and 

 happiness over a wide extent of country entirely independent of our 

 authority, by putting an end to that ruthless and devastating system of 

 warfare that had been for ages carried on between the Burmese and 

 Siamese, whose object was not conquest, but solely to plunder and to 

 carry off the defenceless people into irremediable slavery. On many 

 occasions, as Dr. R. passed through the country, the common people 

 and cultivators expressed to him how different was now their state to 

 what it was in former years, when they scarce dared leave the walls 

 of their towns to cultivate their lands ; were obliged to be armed and 

 constantly on the alert, and to leave their wives and families in the 

 town ; whereas now the country is in every respect equally secure, and 

 they are enabled to follow their avocations without apprehensions of 

 any kind. 



The fact may be observed here, tbat our occupation of the Tenasserim 

 provinces has also proved of incalculable benefit to a large portion of 

 the population of Burmah themselves, as it is well known that the 



