1825     THE BURMESE WAR     451

formidable appearance. The force of the enemy was estimated at between 16 and 20,000 men, and a general activity prevailed in order to render the position secure.

On the 6th of September the answer to Sir Archibald Campbell's letter to the court of Ava was delivered by two Burman deputies, under the protection of a flag of truce; they declared their readiness to enter into negotiations, and requested that two officers might be permitted to visit the Burman commander-in-chief, in order to carry into effect the terms about to be proposed to him. Lieutenant-colonel Tidy, the deputy adjutant-general, and Lieutenant Smith, of his majesty's ship Alligator, were appointed by Sir Archibald Campbell, and were accompanied by Mr. Sarkies Manook as interpreter. * The principal conditions of peace offered by the English were the following : " The non-interference of the court of Ava, with the territories of Cachar, Munnipoore, and Assam ; the cession of the four provinces of Arracan, and the payment of a certain sum as an indemnification for the expenses of the war, one moiety to be paid immediately, and the Tenasserim provinces to be retained until the liquidation of the other. The court of Ava was expected to receive a British resident at the capital, and consent to a commercial treaty, upon principles of liberal intercourse and mutual advantages."

There was a profusion of oriental folly and extravagance in the reception of the English commissioners. All the pomp, the show, and the outward profession of sincerity, was abundantly showered upon Colonel Tidy and his colleague ; a jetty was built expressly for their landing ; 2000 troops escorted them to their abode ; compliments from the Kee-wongee were duly presented by the late governors of Prome and Sarrawaddy. The time between the 11th and the 16th, was thus occupied, when it was agreed that hostilities should cease until the 17th of October, that a Burman minister of high rank should meet Sir Archibald Campbell at Neoun-ben-zeik, a village equidistant from both armies, and that no advancing-movement should be made by the Burmese troops to swell the forces of Memia-boo, but that all the troops of Ava should be considered as partaking of the present neutrality.

Before the conference took place, Sir James Brisbane, Knight and C.B., in command of the Boadicea, which ship he had left at Rangoon, arrived at head-quarters, bringing with him the boats of his ship to assist in future operations. Sir Archibald Campbell and Sir James Brisbane proceeded on the 30th to the village above named, and the conference took place on the 2d of October. A house had been erected for the purpose, and two officers of rank were deputed by the Kee-wongee to wait upon the English commanding officers, and conduct them to the

* Marshall.

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