of control, as
well as of the board of directors, he forced upon them, like Wellesley,
a large extension of their empire. But it cannot be doubted that his
policy, dictated by exigencies beyond the ken of authorities sitting in
London, was eminently successful and beneficent in its results. It went
far to establish a "Pax Britannica" in the Indian Peninsula, and, if it
took little account of dynastic rights, it broke the rod of oppression,
and relieved millions upon millions from tyranny and intimidation which
overshadowed their whole lives. He retired in 1823, after seven years'
tenure of office, and died in 1826 as governor of Malta. Canning had
been designated as his successor, and, having accepted the post, was on
the eve of starting for Calcutta, when the tragical death of Castlereagh
recalled him to the foreign office, and opened to him the most brilliant
stage in his career. Thereupon Lord Amherst was appointed
governor-general, with every prospect of a pacific vice-royalty, whereas
it is now chiefly remembered for the annexation of new provinces on the
south-east of Bengal, and the capture of Bhartpur.

[Pageheading: _THE FIRST BURMESE WAR._]

The first Burmese war arose out of persistent aggressions by the new
kingdom of Ava or Burma on what is now the British province of Assam,
but was then an independent, though feeble, state. There had been
earlier frontier disputes between the Indian government and Burma about
the districts lying eastward of Chittagong along the Bay of Bengal, but
it was not until Burma conquered Arakan, invaded Assam, and occupied
passes on the north-east overlooking the plains of Bengal, that serious
action was felt to be necessary. Indeed, while Hastings was engaged with
the war in Nepal and the suppression of the Pindaris, even he was in no
mood to embark on a fresh campaign beyond the borders of India. The
incursions of the Burmese, however, became more and more threatening
both on the coast line and on the mountains above the Brahmaputra river,
and in February, 1824, Amherst resolved to check the extension of their
dominion. Notwithstanding the experience recently gained in Nepal, the
first operations of the Anglo-Indian troops were conducted with little
knowledge of the country, and met with very doubtful success. Rangoon
was easily captured, but the expedition was disabled from advancing up
the river Irawadi by the want of adequate supplies and the deadliness of
the climate. Part