NEWS OF THE WEEK.
ALL the signs point to a war with Burmah. The Viceroy of India has prepared an ultimatum, which left Rangoon for Mandalay on the 22nd inst., and which must be accepted or rejected within three days. It contains several clauses; but only two are of importance,—namely, that the King shall receive a British Resident, with a military guard, thus reducing himself to the position of the Nizam ; and that such Resident shall appear at Court in boots, which means in Burmah that he claims to be the equal of the King. Theebau will concede neither condition, and, indeed, has already summoned his sol- diers, and sunk chains in the Irrawaddy to stop the steamers, having presumably never tested the power of dynamite. The British force in Barmah is being brought up to 10,000 men, under General Prendergast, a good officer tested by Lord Strathnairn ; and the expedition should be in possession of Mandalay by December 15th. After the overthrow of King Theebau, who will probably be executed by his courtiers after the first defeat, Lord Dufferin is empowered to settle the fate of Burmah, and will be guided, we conceive, mainly by two considerations,—the extent of the needful garrison, and the character of the Princes among whom a new King must be sought. It will, of course, be indispensable that, as in all similar cases in India, the King, if one is appointed, should agree not to receive foreign Envoys. It is the French Foreign Office which has beguiled Theebau to his rain.
