KING THEEBAW INTERVIEWED.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1459, 26 January 1886, Page 3

KING THEEBAW INTERVIEWED.

The London Times published a long despatch from Mandalay, in the course of which it gives this interesting account of an interview with King Theebaw :—“Theebaw is s stout, young, and good-looking man of about thirty, with a weak face. Ho has not the receding forehead which has always been a distinctive mark of the descendants of Aloung Pro. Since he has found ho has no reason to fear violence, King Theebaw lies recovered his nerve, and lias displayed a good deal of quiet dignity. Colonel Bladen told the King that I was correspondent of the Times. At the close of the interview 1 read over my notes, through an interpreter, to King Theebaw, who said they were correct. ‘ I wish to be kept quiet,’ he said. ‘ I have given over everything to the English, and I want Colonel Bladen to govern the country now and in future. If Colonel Sladen had remained as Resident, and had not left, this war would never have occurred. I have been badly advised. I was seized when young, and made a mere puppet. I have now to suffer for what Timid ah and others forced me to do. I now know that I was wrong altogether. Tinedah urged me on to war, and when the fighting commenced he and his friends were the first to abandon m-. When I heard of your arrival at Pagan I said no more fighting must occur, as the Burmese could not resist lho Queen.’ Turning to the interpreter, he said—‘Tell him that the day before yesterday I was attended by 300 maids of honor. Yesterday evening only 16 remained with me, I have two children alive, and three are buried in the northern garden,’ Theebaw, resuming, said : ‘ Let Colonel Sladen govern the country for five years. When he has got affairs in good order, then I will come back and be guided by him, I have known Colonel Sladen since I was a boy, and have the utmost confidence in him. You English think I killed all my relations, but it was not so. I was under guard myself, am l they were murdered. The reason 1 was not murdered myself was that before the Qneen I was the quiet son. A horoscope was Also drawn by the priests, and my name came out first. Seven months aftsr I became King I was not allowed to interfere. I was not even crowned. I continued to wear the phoongyee priests’ robes. I ordered that my relations should not be killed, but imprisoned, so that there might not be a disturbance in the country. I was sleeping in bed when the order to kill them was given by the Ministers. After eight months, the I'enoutmengyee who killed the princes tried to murder me. The English people knew much that I did, but not of what was going on behind me. I never left the palace. I wish the English to know that I am not a drunkard. I am a religious Buddhist. 1 have given up all the Crown jewels, and 1 am sure the English, who are a great people, will not object to me, as a King, keeping my ring,’ showing me a magnificent ring he was wearing, ‘ or my wife keeping her jewels,’ pointing to a diamond necklace on the Queen, During the early part of the day, when King Theebaw was moving, owing to the issue of an order that any woman applying should be allowed to enter the palace through the Queen’s gate the palace was looted by several hundred women from the town, who carried away a large amount of property. The Crown jewels were saved by Colonel Sladen.