By the treaty of peace, signed at 4 p.m. on the 24th Feb. 1826, the Honorable East India Company have obtained a large accession of most valuable territory, nearly equal to one-third of the whole Burman empire, affording an inexhaustible supply of the finest teak timber for naval purposes, and all the other productions of the East. They have also derived from this treaty the still greater benefit of a state of security infinitely less likely to be disturbed than in former times, by the formidable barriers interposed between them and the kingdom of Ava; and thus, not only is the probability of future annoyance greatly diminished, but the chance of any successful irruption almost entirely removed. Besides renouncing all claims, and engaging to abstain from all future interference with the principality of Assam, and its dependencies, and also with the contiguous petty states of Cachar and Jynteea; to recognize Ghumbeer Singh as Rajah of Munnipoore (should he desire to return to that country); to cede in perpetuity the provinces of Arracan, recently conquered by the British, including the four divisions of Arracan, Ramree[1], Cheduba, and Sandoway, (as divided from Ava by the Unnoupectowmien mountains), and also the provinces of Yeh, Tavoy, Mergui, and Tenasserim, with the islands and dependencies thereunto appertaining, (taking the Saluoen, or Martaban river, as the line of demarcation on that frontier); to receive a British resident at Ava, and to depute a Burman minister to reside at Calcutta; to abolish all exactions upon British ships or vessels in Burman ports, that are not required from Burman ships or vessels in British ports; and to enter into a commercial treaty upon principles of reciprocal advantage; the King of Ava, “in proof of the sincere disposition of the Burman government to maintain the relations of peace and amity between the
- ↑ The harbour of Kheauk-pheo, at the north end of the island of Rainree, is described as sufficiently large to accommodate the whole navy of Great Britain. The anchorage is from 8 to 15 fathoms throughout; and being land-locked on three sides, the west, east, and south, the harbour is completely secured against the S.W. monsoon.
