The Times published on Thursday a paper from some very
well- informed correspondent on modern Burmese policy. It would appear that the King has two fixed ideas, from which he never swerves,—to recover his lost province of Pegs, and to maintain his personal monopoly of the trade with Western China. To carry out his first idea, he has offered treaties to France and Italy —Powers which he dreams might help him, and to carry out his second, he resolutely opposes any British mission which en- deavours to pass through his dominions to China. Ile stopped Major Slaclen's expedition, and it is believed influenced the attack on Mr. Margary. The writer doubts, apparently, whether the King will fight, as he yielded to pressure once before ; and the latest in- telligence — that the King had issued a pacific proclamation — partly confirms this view. It remains to be seen, however, whether he will accord the terms Sir Douglas Forsyth goes to Mandalay to ask.
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