The Crisis in Burmah – Mounted Battery with elephants in Myanmar c1879.

$50.00

The Crisis in Burmah – mounted battery at the British Frontier Station, Tounghoo. (Burma or Myanmah, and frontier station of Toungoo).

Guns mounted on elephants from British India, at Toungoo in Myanmar. Following a succession crisis in 1878, the British resident in Burma was withdrawn, ending official diplomatic relations between the two countries. King Thibaw was unpopular, not only for his poor management of the country, but also because either he or his backers had executed nearly one hundred royal princes and princesses since taking the throne.

As his defence minister wanted to negotiate peace with the British, he issued an order not to oppose their approaching army who claimed to be bringing the king's older brother from exile in British India, to instal him on the throme. As this brother had already died in India, their invasion was relatively unhindered, and Burma lost their independence to the British.

Original wood engraving published in London in The Graphic on May 17, 1879. This is a half page… engraving measures approximately 15 x 23cm (6 x 9 inches)