ABSTRACT
Captain George Baker’s interview with Alaungpaya, which, for reasons narrated, began so inauspiciously, ended more pleasantly than might have been expected. An Armenian, Gregory, one of the ambassadors of Alaungpaya, who had accompenied Baker from Negrais, was the intermediary in all his dealings with the King and Court, carrying messages and accompanying the Englishman as interpreter at audiences. Alaungpaya’s “favourite concubine” was suddenly taken ill and died, and the King’s great grief at this calamity furnished him with a handy excuse for sending Baker back to Negrais with his mission unaccomplished. By January 1756, Alaungpaya had settled the affairs of the north sufficiently to admit of his return to Rangoon. At first Alaungpaya contented himself with blockading tactics, gradually tightening the meshes of his net around the doomed city. Captain George Baker was unable to fulfil his engagement to meet Alaungpaya again at Rangoon.
