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JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
tide, that should any disputes arise concerning 
boundary, they are to be determined by com¬ 
missioners, according to ancient limits. When 
a large and well-known river is expressly stated 
to be the boundary, what disputes can possibly 
arise, except such as regard islands situated in 
the bed of such river, or some alteration in its 
course, or possible change of its name in par¬ 
ticular situations. Should disputes on those 
points occur, they will, of course, be settled by 
commissioners, according to the ancient limits 
of the disputed places as provided for by treaty. 
It is my duty to inform you, that the construc¬ 
tion put by you on the fourth article stands a 
chance of being viewed by the British Govern¬ 
ment not as the natural construction which the 
terms made use of will admit, but as one which 
appears adduced to create a difficulty. Until 
the third conference held with you on the 21st 
of October, I never heard a doubt expressed re¬ 
specting the Saluen river being the true frontier 
between the two nations, or that what was upon 
one side was necessarily yours ; what was on the 
other, ours. The officers of your Government, 
residing at Rangoon, who were well aware that 
we had formed a settlement beyond the Saluen, 
and who frequently discussed all other public 
