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First Burmese War; imposition of a British Political Agent in Munnipore |
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(38) With the country briefly described in the foregoing pages, the British Government was brought into unwilling contact by the first Burmese war. At the conclusion of the war, though by the treaty of Yandabo, Munnipore was declared independent, yet being too weak by itself to remain so, and its position being, in a military point of view, of too much importance to permit the chance of the Burmese obtaining the command of it, the British Government has been compelled to guard against such chance, and to remain in the country a Political Agent; all border disputes ( and they have been numerous) having been settled by this Officer, the Burmese have been prevented from coming into collision with the Munniporees, and thus the latter have enjoyed an immunity from Burmese aggression for a period unprecedented in their annals, of more than quarter of a century. |
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(39) During this interval of peace, Munnipore has increased in population and wealth; it possesses an immensely fertile soil, and is blessed with a good climate; but these advantages are, as I have shown, almost overbalanced by the system of Government, and by the religion professed by its rulers, and followed by the people. |
