e succeeded by more active evidences of
hostility. Acts of violence were committed on British ships and British
seamen. Remonstrance was consequently made by the British government, and
its envoys were supported by a small naval force. The officers on whom
devolved the duty of representing the wrongs of their fellow-countrymen and
demanding redress, proceeded to Rangoon, the governor of which place had
been a chief actor in the outrages complained of; but so far were they from
meeting with any signs of regret, that they were treated with indignity and
contempt, and compelled to retire without accomplishing anything beyond
blockading the ports. A series of negotiations followed; nothing was
demanded of the Burmese beyond a very moderate compensation for the
injuries inflicted on the masters of two British vessels, an apology for
the insults offered by the governor of Rangoon to the representatives of
the British government, and the re-establishment of at least the appearance
of friendly relations by the reception of a British agent by the Burmese
government. But the obduracy of King Pagan, who had succeeded his father in
1846, led to the refusal alike of atonement for past wrongs, of any
expression of regret for the display of gratuitous insolence, and of any
indication of a desire to maintain friendship for the future. Another
Burmese war was the result, the first shot being fired in January 1852. As
in the former, though success was varying, the British finally triumphed,
and the chief towns in the lower part of the Burmese kingdom fell to them
in succession. The city of Pegu, the capital of that portion which, after
having been captured, had again passed into the hands of the enemy, was
recaptured and retained, and the whole province of Pegu was, by
proclamation of the governor-general, Lord Dalhousie, declared to be
annexed to the British dominions on the 20th of December 1852. No treaty
was obtained or insisted upon,--the British government being content with
the tacit acquiescence of the king of Burma without such documents; but its
resolution was declared, that any active demonstration of hostility by him
would be followed by retribution.

About the same time a revolution broke out which resulted in King Pagan's
dethronement. His tyrannical and barbarous conduct had made him obnoxious
at home as well as abroad, and indeed many of his actions recall the worst
passages of the history of the later Roman emperors. The M