We have before compared the growing prosperity of British Burmah, with the low industrial condition of that half of the country which still remains under native rule. In the former, trade is yearly growing; the population is contented and increasing; and order prevails. In the latter, the extortions and monopolies of the King, and the corruption' of officials, choke all prosperity; the population is diminishing, brigandage is constant, and political disturbance frequent. Of course, un-dor the beautiful theories of justice and restitution which now prevail, we ought to restore the fine provinces which we have annexed, to their native sovereign; just as, out of regard for th ibilities of Mandarins, we refrain from helping the Chinese people along thorood of progress. Butitisinteresting, in the meantime, to notice the rapidity with which a country's resources may be developed, under a strong and eu-lightened Government. And it would be difficult to find more marked or incontestable proofs of this effect, than are afforded in the official report on the trade of British Barmah, for the year ended March 1869.
It will be remembered that we acnited this fertile province of our In-lion Empire, on two distinct occasions; the first half—Tenasserim pr in 1826; the second portion—Pega and Martaban, in 1852. The whole covers 76,000 square miles, watered by the Brahmapootra and the. Irawaddy, and served principally by the three ports of Rangoon, Mouimain and Akyab. We have not space to trace the gradual developement of the commerce which sprung up, since these districts passed under our rule; but it will suffice, to give an idea of its growth, if we compare the total value of the maritime trade in 1868-9, with that shown by the Customs Returns one decade earlier, in 1858. The gross trade of British Barmah at the former period, six yenrs after two of the finest provinces had passed under our sway, was barely £ 5,000,000 sterling. In 1868, when the effect. of the change of rule had had more time to become apparent; when industry and commerce had had more time to develope under the encouragement and security afforded them, the total hud swollen to £ 10,658,000; the percentage of increase in the more Jately acquired provinces being nearly =double that in Teuasserim, which bad already, ten years before, had time to attain a fair degree of prosperity ander its now conditions, and had, consequently, settled down into a more steady degree of progress. A matter which has been the subject of much discussion, Intely, is the export of rice from Burmah to China. The rice from the ports in the Gulf of Siam, is inferior in quality to that of British Burmah; but, as no daty is levied at Saigon, and only a nominal rate at Bangkok, the grain from those ports hasan advantage over that shipped from Rangoon, to the extent of nearly 6d. per cwt. in duty alone—an amount equal to 9 per cent on the value of the produce. The result is, of course, most unfavourable to Barmah rice, in its competition with that from Siam and Cochin China; and local Chambers of Commerce have addressed strong representations to the Government on the subject. Daring a season of great scarcity in China, the disadvantage thus imposed might not, perhaps, affect shipments to any very serious extent, as the demand would raise the price toa rate that would cover the difference between the staple of Barmah and that of more favoured ports. But where there is no pressing demand, the effect must be highly in~ jurions to this important branch of of trade. A flourishing rice trade means a good retarn to cultivators, and a good demand for imports; a depressed trade means a corresponding depression. Hitherto, the excellence of gras Barmah rice has secured for it a lucrative market in Earope; but there, also, Saigon and Bangkok rice are now ranning it close; and it becomes therefore of pressing importance to relieve this most important staple of the country from any pressure which places it at unnecessary disadvantage. It can hardly be that the Indian Government will persevere in a course so opposed to the principles which have hitherto guided it, in legislating for this fertile country; and we expect soon to hear that the obnoxious and unwise impost has been greatly lowered.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.