The Times' correspondents in India appear to be making a
dead set at all concerned in the administration of Burmali. They now declare that Sir Charles Bernard is incompetent to organise, and that Lord Dufferiu has sold the ruby-mines near Mandelay to French bidders, who obtain such rights that they will oppress the miners over fifty square miles, and re- establish French influence in Burmah. How French influence is to be re-established by oppressing miners is not explained, and fortunately needs no explanation. The truth is, local offers for the mines have all been rejected, and French offers too, and the right of search sold in England to a small English syndi- cate at a rent of 240,000 a year, four times the price obtained by Theeban. As to Sir Charles Bernard, the last report is that he is bringing district after district under control, though hampered by the desire not to spend money, and by the difficulty of finding policemen who are at once well affected and competent. Brigandage, the old curse of Burmah, is, therefore, still ram- pant ; bat it will be gradually subdued, as it was in Pegu, and an effective police force formed. If the critic 3 had Sicily to reduce to order, they would find it took time, and Burmah is far more anarchical than Sicily, and fifteen times as big.
Previous page
