for the propagation of the silk-worm ; caused large tracts of
land to be prepared for the culture of the sügar-cane ; and
established manufactories for the preparation of pitch, tar,
and resin. He caused several thousand matchlocks to be
fabricated ; he opened a mine of iron ore, and constructed
smelting furnaces. He distributed his land forces into regular
regiments, established military schools, where officers were instructed
in the doctrine of projectiles and gunnery by European
masters. Adran had translated into the Chinese language a
system of military tactics, for the use of his army. In the course
of these two years he constructed at least 300 large gun-boats
or row-gallies,,.five luggers, and a frigate on - the model of
an European vessel. He caused a system of naval tactics to
be introduced, and had his naval officers instructed in the
use of signals. One iof the English gentlemen, whom I mentioned
to have been at Sai-gong in the year 1800, saw a fleet
of ships consisting of 1200 sail, under the immediate command
of this Prince, weigh their anchors and drop down the
river in the highest order, in three separate divisions, forming
into lines of battle, in close. and open order, and going-
through a variety of manoeuvres by signals as they proceeded
along.
During this interval of peace he likewise undertook to reform
the system of jurisprudence, in which he was no doubt
very ably assisted by the Bishop'. He abolished several
species of torture, which the law of the country had hitherto
prescribed ; and he mitigated punishments that appeared to
be disproportionate to the crimes of which they were the
consequence. He established public Schools, to which parents
were compelled to send their children at the age of four
years, under certain pains and penalties. He drew up a
system of rules and regulations for the commercial interests of
his kingdom; caused bridges to be built over rivers; buoys
and sea-marks to be laid down in-all the dangerous parts of
the coast; and surveys to be made of the principal bays and
harbours. He sent missions into the mountainous districts on
the west of his kingdom, inhabited by. the Laos and the
Miaotst, barbarous nations whom he wished to bring into a
state of civilization and good government. These mountaineers
are the people whom the Chinese designate by the
degrading appellation of “ Men with ta ils th o u g h , m all
probability, they are the regular descendants of the true original
inhabitants of this long civilized empire. In short, this
Monarch, by his owfl indefatigable application to the arts
and manufactures, like Peter of Russia, without his brutality,
aroused by his individual example the energies of his people,
and, like our immortal Alfred, spared no pains to regenerate
his country. His activity and exertions will readily be con-
ceived from the circumstance of his having, in less than ten
years, from a single vessel, accumulated a fleet of twelve
hundred ships, of which three were of European construction;
about twenty were large junks, similar to those of
China, but completely manned and armed ; and the rest were
Woe srun-vessels and transports.
© ©
Caungshung is represented to be, in the strictest sense of
the word, a complete soldier. He is said to hold the name
of General far more dear and estimable than that of Sovereign.
He is described as being brave without rashness;
N N 2