408 The Question of British Trade with Western China. [No. 4 



position, as bearing on tbis question, is now totally different from 

 wbat it was during tbe decade succeeding tbe last Burman war. The 

 Envoy of the Viceroy and Governor- General has negotiated a treaty, 

 wherein the British and Burmese Governments are declared friends 

 and trade in and through Upper Burmah is freely thrown open to 

 British mercantile enterprize. Arrangements are there made by which 

 our direct trade with China may be carried on through Upper Bur- 

 mah without any harassing restrictions, and subject only to a transit 

 due of 1 per cent, ad valorem, on Chinese exports, and nil on imports. 

 A British agent resides at the Burmese court, acknowledged and 

 conferred with by the Burmese Government, under the title in their 

 own language of "Agent to the English minister," — the Burmese 

 translation of Chief Commissioner referring to his political capacity 

 of agent to the Governor- General, being " Ayebamg Woongyee," a 

 term only applied among themselves to the minister who has the con- 

 duct of political affairs, which minister is invariably the chief Woon- 

 gyee or Vizier, — whose functions are precisely those of a Consul and 

 Charge d'affaires, taking his instructions from the Chief Commissioner 

 of British Burmah. 



No one acquainted with the history of the former relations between 

 the Burmese and British Governments, can fail to see in this, the 

 proof that there has taken place within the last three years, a substan- 

 tial revolution in the political position of Upper Burmah, and that in 

 looking for routes into Western China, that country must be now re- 

 garded in a light not only different from what was formerly the true 

 one, but almost the very opposite. There is no longer a hostile Go- 

 vernment shutting up its territory and excluding British trade. The 

 Burman Government is now a friendly one, inviting British trade, 

 and not only willing to open to it the high way to China, but fully 

 alive to the advantages that commerce through its territory would 

 confer both on the monarch and the people. 



Burmah Proper is no longer a barrier, but a gangway, open to the 

 use of whoever will avail themselves of it. 



To the East and North-East of the frontier of British Burmah, 

 hanging about, so to speak, the lower and middle Salween, are 

 several tribes of various Karen races, some of them acknowledging 

 British, others Burman Suzerainty, and others not only really, but 

 nominally quite independent. 



