Lord Dufferin has arrived in Mandelay, and has held recep-
tions, sitting on Theebaw's throne, and it is believed in Calcutta that a general plan of administration has been devised. It is not quite what we hoped, but the Times' correspondent may have made—we think has made—one mistake. He says Upper and Lower Burmah are to be united under Mr. Bernard, and garrisoned by a force of 17,000 men, under a single General. That force should be ample for all the Burmese Pro- vinces, and we trust that they will all—Assam excepted— be joined into one Lieutenant-Governorship. They have nothing but an official connection with India, and need a separate Administration, a separate Civil Service, and a separate body of native officials. The people are not in char- acter in the least like Indians, their creed, tongue, and alphabet are all totally different, and they desire society to be organ- ised in a different way. The Burmese are among the best subjects we have, and may be among the best customers ; and they should be allowed a life of their own, with a local Legisla- tive Council as soon as may be. We do not believe that this scheme would cost more than the imperfect one ; and if it does, the Burmese have claims on their own surplus revenue. The day may arrive when the separateness of the Burmese Provinces will be of the greatest advantage to Great Britain, which is making a united continent of India much too fast.
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