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BIRMAH. 259
Chagaing, for the Bengal trade:* the cargo of each
boat might amount to 4,000 rupees, chiefly in silver
bullion. One half of them regularly returned laden
with red betel-nut, chiefly from Luckipoor, where
the merchants farmed the plantations of this article.
The acquisition of Arracan must be considered as of
immense importance. It gives us the undisputed pos-
session of the whole coast of the Bay of Bengal, in-
cluding a range of valuable harbours, and confers
facilities for extending our commerce, which may be
deemed alone sufficient to counterbalance the charges
of the late war.
The once powerful monarchies of Magadha, Pegu,
and Assam, have passed away ; that of Siam is dwindled
to the shadow of its ancient greatness; and now the
Birman empire, which had swallowed up those rival
states, and, like a mighty serpent gorged with its prey,
was rendered powerless by its voracity, lies bleeding
and dismembered. Deprived of the maritime pro-
vinces of Arracan, Mergui, and Tavoy, the sovereign
of Ava can no longer lay claim to the title of lord of
the waters : and it matters little what becomes of the
white elephant. Buddhism may be considered as
having already received its death blow. In Ceylon, it
is fast giving way before the progress of education and
the exertions of the missionaries, and the sacred lan-
guage has, for the first time, been made to speak the
oracles of God. Buddhic priests have been transformed
into Christian clergymen, and Birmah may hereafter
be indebted to that island which she has long regarded
as the mother-land of her laws, literature, and reli-
* In the advance of the British forces to Prome, a large convoy
of at least 400 bullocks, laden with commodities, was met proceeding
to Arracan and a ; deputation was sent to inquire of the British
commander, whether the road was open for them.
PART II. Q