diminish our weight, or to erect an alien power that might eventually
injure our interests, and even one day rival our authority. The propriety
of discussing a subject of so .much moment, naturally suggests itself; but
a moment’s reflection servesto corivihce that it ought not to fee. {passed
oyer in silence. It is too true, that the importance of the objects is hidden
only from ourselves. Those against whom it is most incumbent on us tb
guard, are well apprised o f their extent and magnitude ; but even were it
otherwise, the security which is to arise from the suppression of points of
general knowledge, is fallacious and without dignity. Prudence requires
that th&transactions o f a cabinet should not be divulged, but that policy
must be very short sighted which attempts to conceal from the world what
eye^y person may discover; th s bounties, of providence» the, products»
resources» and local advantages of a great empire-;
British India i.s moredsepLy concerned in her commerce; amt conmectiom
with that » art of the Birman empire, called Pogue,, then many persons* in
other-respectst intimately versed in the. affairs of India, seem to be aware.
This, interest points to three distinct objects ; first, t® secure from that quarter
regular supplies, o l timber for ship, buildings without, which, the. British
marine of India could, exist, but; on a very contracted scales secondly, to
introduce into that country» as much of our manufactures as; its consumption
may require, and to endeavour to find a mart in. the south-west-
dominions, of China, by means of the great river o f A m i thirdly, to> guard
with, vigilance against every encroachment or advance» which may be
made by forejgp. nations to. divert the trade into ©the» channels, and) obtain
a permanent settlement in a, country so- contiguous to the; capital; of out
possessions. This, last consideration supersedes, all ethers in the magnitude
of the. consequences that might ultimately result from it,
It is«»impossible,.todnAress m ÿ stronger prpof with the
vastdhaporta!-nce^o^th|jPegue -than, bjie&^o,sija.te1 that a durable vessel*
of burrhon« Æaÿmhu b e . .built Inyfeh&çrhviepfmfi B eH gabl^cpf c te q he aid
df- teak planjCj^WhiïèljJistj.prn^urab'ie from »«Ppgue , alo,ne,; ançl,
timber jtrade,twdthj;th^ia^tirWtKy # O J ^ |» .aqv^ct«|X[teower. bg.wrested,
from us^uif, it. should be Jest by mis for tune, or forfeited through t m iscon-
dudt, the marine of fiffilfautta.. which..« ofUarê^ivears -»has^iPredfid.aa,source
o f unexampled prospgfibysto,aüfr princip<di
fited the j)a*reD4 'reP\jnl1^qi<*nd^giypi sé tïid u ils ,
* ^Jflp have been construct, J of snil w ltd, andJoKithcr inili., nous timber orlldnapl, but
on trial tKeywere not found to ^serTO^Dio. ^y '
t Thei following remarkable iâ&ne&éÿs^nbjji^spi^illj^wil'J^^'oe^^^^yànWgesftfâ^h^!
already been derived by the paren^qiMtry from theirnarin^çÇfeyjj^^nd thp^fyei&efit tjiatjmay
in future be expected.
In the year 179^, yhen,the horrors of himmiding famine aggravated th^ nusene of vgr,
the Secret^ Committee of the Court o f Directors, a t f e recommendation of
sters, transmitted"hy express to Lord'TeigtÆnSuflît' Adn ô'ovcrnbr General of India, intelligence
'of the calamity that threatened'GreafÈrilâîh.adâ' deïhihg whatever aî^ffl^Gifêrnifiêkt
of Indii'Conld supply. On rhefeiptt of'the dispatch; thésGeyerodï General, with than promptitude
and energy, which.distinguished his administration, oxerted .the.influencji,of^goverii.ri^^t
with such effect, that 14000 tons of shipping, almost [ entipj^ndia^uilt
carry rice to England; and were loadsn and cleared from the port ^1Lm ^'c
months from the date o'fthe »rival tftbefetto! This supply, with life exSpïæw'tBè^suSrtîes
of the sea,arrived most opportunely-fot the ralief'ofthe pods ofL.ondqn^and tedpee’d-thoprice of
that excellent articlfe of fbod- to three halfpence-a.pound. So extraotdinaryan .exertion, is
neither so widely known, nor so justly appreciated, as it incita. It
reflects the hi^est^eriditdsm, all-the parties concerned, and deserves tobc recorded in order J°
declare to posterity the vast resources of Great B ^ in ^w feh ^ a s enablj^ to draw ^ en ab le
supplies of provision for the relief of the metropolis, frofii cqlpjjips situated attl\^d^‘|nccpf
nearly two thirds of the equatorial circumference of the gîohepJvM, - 2 Hi