§ MR. ONSLOWasked the Under Secretary of State for India, How Her Majesty's Government propose to carry out the determination of the policy of His Excellency the Viceroy of India in Council, contained in the Despatch from India of the 13th of February last to Lord Kimberley, and approved of by Her Majesty's Government in a Despatch from Secretary of State to the Viceroy dated 16th March last, in the former of which His Excellency states that—
For the present our efforts must in all probability be limited to securing observance of existing Treaties, and to the protection of British subjects visiting Upper Burmah;and, again, in the words of the Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department (of the 26th of January last) to the Burmese Foreign Minister—It is only necessary to say that the Government of India adhere to their former opinion, and consider it all the more important to observe closely existing Treaties because the attempt to negotiate a revised Treaty has failed;whether he is aware that, by Clause 7 of the Treaty of Yandaboo, it was agreed that a Resident (representing the British Government), with an escort of fifty men, should be established at the place of Durbar, or capital of Burmah; and, whether this portion of one of the Treaties is to be observed closely?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSIt is impossible, Sir, at the present moment, to define the precise manner in which it is intended to give effect to the policy towards Burmah which is declared in the passages quoted by the hon. Member. Much must depend upon circumstances, with which it will be for the Indian Government to deal as they arise. Passages on pages 27 and 50 of the Blue Book show that that Government is perfectly aware of its right under the 7th clause of the Treaty of Yandaboo, but that it must be allowed discretion in enforcing them.