SOAS Research Online

Abstract

In this thesis is outlined the development of British administration in its Burmese provinces between 1852 and the war of 1885. In 1852 the British government of India acquired its third Burmese province when Pegu was annexed, as Tenasserim and Arakan had been annexed earlier in 1826. The difficulties of establishing British administration in Pegu are discussed, as well as the later amalgamation of the three British Burmese provinces into that of British Burma and the subsequent development of administration there. This development was influenced by the indigenous system of government; by practices established between 1826 and 1852 in Tenasserim and Arakan; and by British administrative practices that were standard in all of British India. British administrative objectives were basically the maintenance of peace and order but as it was necessary for the revenue of provinces to pay for the costs of administration, economic development was also important. Accordingly the most important functions of the British administration in Burma were those of police, justice, and revenue. Social stability and a laissez-faire economy gave impetus to economic growth within the province. This forced the administration to expand its existing framework; to establish departmental government; and to allow the indigenous people more responsibility in it. The way in which this occurred was, however, largely deter-mined by developments within India, to whose government the province of British Burma was subordinate.