Burma RJ Handbook

A BU R M A R I V E R J O U R N E Y
tory policy towards the British. Mindon was intelligent
enough to realise that Burma needed peace to reconstruct
his country and unlike his predecessors he had learnt the
hard way that the British were to be treated with, not insulted.
In 1855 Arthur Phayre the Governor of Lower
Burma conducted a mission to the Court of Ava and
Henry Yule’s Narrative forms a fascinating compendium
of information on Royal Burma.
Rangoon quickly grew into the capital of Lower Burma
replacing Moulmein as the main mercantile and port center.
Gradually Lower Burma became rich and prosperous
from both trade, with its own markets and resources and
acting as the gateway for Upper Burma. Agriculture
flourished as rich paddy lands were reclaimed from jungle.
At the same time Royal Burma, with its magnificent
new capital founded in 1855 at Mandalay, pro s p e re d
under the reforming hand of Mindon Min. A commercial
t reaty with the British in 1863 allowed the Irrawaddy
Flotilla, still in the hands of the Rangoon government, access.
The British Resident Dr Clement Williams pioneered
the river by steam as far north as Bhamo anxious to explore
the possibilities of a trade link to China. On his ret
i rement from service Williams stayed on as Company
Agent and 1868 the company began a regular Rangoon
Mandalay steamer service. Mindon introduced coinage
and reformed administration with proper salaried officials
rather than feudal ‘town eaters’. Mindon cleverly played
off British against French interests and in 1872 despatched
the Kinwun Mingyi as Burma’s first ambassador to
London and Paris.
King Thibaw and the Third Anglo Burmese War of 1885
In 1878 Mindon died without appointing a successor and
in a palace coup power was seized by the Kinwun Mingyi
who in alliance with the chief queen crowned a puppet-tobe,
Thibaw. The Kinwun did not recknon on Thibaw’s
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