Burmese Sketches - Khamkoo

BURMESE SKETCHEB.
provincial governors were not in any way responsible to the
Hluttaw, except that they must remit a certain sum of money
to the Royal Treasury through that body. No doubt, disputes
between governors regarding the limit of their jurisdictions,
the delivery of dacoits by one governor to another, and appeal
cases, generally civil, were brought up before the Hluttaw.
But beyond exercising this general control, which was rather
faint, and exercising the functions of the Highest Court of
Reference, the Hluttaw was an effete body, corrupt to the
core.
THE UPPER BURMAN VIEW OF BRITISH RULE.
The New Year's Day of 1886 apprised us of the fact that an
important portion of Indo-China had become part and parcel
of the British Empire over which the sun never sets. From a
commercial point of view, this tract of land is, indeed, important,
serving, as it does, a sort of connecting link between
India and the teeming millions of China. The land is fertile,
the people are docile, and every hope is to be entertained for
the realization of projects to improve the country and ameliorate
the condition of its inhabitants. With the magnificent
water-way afforded by the Irrawaddy, and with the Toungoo-
Mandalay Railway constructed before a decade has passed
away, we have reason to expect that Upper Burma will be on
a fair way to progress in the wake of her sister province. Let
us now see how^ the bulk of the Burmans look upon their loss
of a national king, the grievances, supposed or actual, they are
suffering from, and what remedies can be suggested for their
removal.
Shortly after the recent war of 1885, we availed ourselves of
an opportunity to travel to Mandalay. We visited some respectable
families with the intention of sounding their feelings
regarding the British annexation. Taking all in all, the people
seem to be pretty w^ell affected towards British rule. When
asked to give reasons, they say that the British Government is
strict, upright and sympathetic. There is one fact to the
truth of which all bear testimony. The British are earnest and
truthful J their * yes * is a* yes* and their 'no' a * no/ In
this respect, the British Government presents a wide contrast to
the late Government of Thibaw. An old Burmese lady tells
us that, when he was on the throne, there was a regular confusion
of authority. In the first instance, the Hluttaw would
pass a certain decree. On appeal, through the Taingda or
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