APPENDIX. 
13 
The first article of the Convention stipulates generally 
for a free commercial intercourse between the subjects of 
the two Governments, and for protection to the persons and 
property of those engaged in trade. It in fact, however, 
makes no real alteration in the circumstances under which 
that trade has been long conducted; but it may be said 
to secure, by the formalities of a public instrument, a branch 
of British commerce which had hitherto existed only by 
sufferance. 
By the second article of the Treaty, all British vessels, 
not exceeding fifty tons burthen, or thereabouts, are ex¬ 
empted from the payment of tonnage duties and port 
charges. This places our trade in the ports of the Burman 
Empire nearly on a footing with that of its own subjects 
and of the Chinese, whose boats and junks seldom exceed 
the tonnage now mentioned, and who have always been ex¬ 
empt from the payment of such charges. The stipulation 
makes no change in the state of the Burman trade at Bri¬ 
tish ports. The privilege thus secured to us may, it is 
hoped, give rise to a coasting trade of some value and ex¬ 
tent between the Burmese ports and our various settlements 
in the Bay of Bengal. 
The third article secures some advantages to British 
merchants resident in the Burman dominions, although far 
short of those required by the justice and necessity of the 
case. 
According to the Burman laws, all vessels shipwrecked 
upon the coast are forfeited, and become the property of 
the King. This arbitrary and unjust law is cancelled by 
the fourth and last article of the Convention, which stipu¬ 
lates for British property shipwrecked, the same immunity 
and protection as under civilized governments. 
The greatest obstacle to the extension of British com¬ 
merce in the Burman dominions, was the rigid prohibition 
which has at all times existed against the exportation of 
