through the Commissioner of the British coast strip. During twelve years, direct diplomatic relations with Burma remained suspended. At length on the 27th September, 1851, the British merchants at Rangoon, under the recent irritation of two signal outrages, laid their wrongs before the Governor-General of India.
Besides individual acts of oppression, they complained that the Treaty of Yandabu was habitually violated, and 'that now affairs have arrived at such a crisis that, unless protected, your memorialists will be obliged to leave the country, and doing so must sacrifice their property.' 'Neither life nor property is safe, as the Governor' of Rangoon, they declare, 'has publicly stated to his dependents that he has no money to pay them for their services; and has granted to them his permission to rob the inhabitants, and to get money as they best can.' In conclusion, 'That your memorialists are here under the provisions of the Treaty of Yandabu, and beg to state, with all due deference and respect, that they claim to seek your protection.'
Lord Dalhousie was not the man to deny such a claim, based upon treaty-rights, nor would any Governor-General of India be fit for his high office who turned a deaf ear to a memorial of this nature. A naval officer was despatched with three ships to Rangoon to enquire into the truth of the
