RANGOON, formerly DAGOON, a seaport town of the Birman empire, and province of Pegu, is situated in a healthy and fertile country, on the north bank of the east branch of the Erawadi or Rangoon river. Ran goon extends about a mile along the banks of the river, and is between one-third and one-half a mile in breadth. The city is a square surrounded by a stockade fourteen feet high. On the north side it has an indifferent fosse crossed by a wooden bridge. On this side there are two gates, but on all the other sides only one. In se veral places there are wooden stages within the stock ade, to hold musqueteers in case of an attack. The river is about twenty or thirty yards from the pallisade, and between it and the south side there are several wts, and three wharfs with cranes for landing goods. The river is commanded by a battery of twelve ill mounted six and nine pounders. A sort of exchange where the merchants assemble, consisting of two wood en houses, stands close to the wharf.
The streets are narrow though straight. They are clean and well-paved with brick, with numerous chan nels to carry off the rain, and crossed with strong wooden planks for bridges. The houses which are generally of timber, are raised several feet from the ground on posts, the smaller ones being supported by bamboos, and the larger ones by strong timbers. The principal inhabitants reside within the fort, the ship wrights and inferior population inhabit the suburbs; and there is an entire street called Tackally, assigned to common prostitutes. Swine. which are public property, are permitted to roam at large about the town, for the purpose of destroying the filth below the houses.
The custom house, which is a spacious building, is composed of brick and mortar, and roofed in with tiles. There are a number of wooden stages within it, for the reception of bales of goods.
At the former town of Tagoun, (the Dogon or Da go') of the universal history,) situated on an eminence about two miles from Rangoon, stands the celebrated temple of Gautama, sometimes called the temple of Shoe Dagoon. It stands on a hill which is of a Conical form, having steps all round it, on which are se' rous images of Gautama. The road which leads from the city to the temple is formed with care, the rain be ing thrown to the sides by a wide causeway in the cen tre. In the vicinity of the town there are several kioums or monasteries, which are generally placed un der the shade of pipal or tamarind trees, at a short dis tance from the public road.
According to Major Symes, the river of Rangoon is very convenient for the construction of ships. The spring tides rise twenty feet perpendicular, and as the banks are flat and soft, very little labour is necessary for the formation of docks. Nature, observes Major
Symes. has done her part to render Rangoon the most flourishing seaport of the eastern world. The entrance of the river about twelve miles below Rangoon, and the banks on each side, bear a near resemblance to those of the Ganges, but the navigation is much more com modious. The channel is bold and deep, from six and a half to eight fathoms, uninterrupted by shoals or ine qualities of soundings. At this place the breadth of the river is estimated to be from three-fourths to one mile.
The teak wood, the most durable that is known, from its containing great quantities of crystallized si lex, is produced in inexhaustible abundance in the Birman Empire. It grows some hundred miles up the country, and after being split into thick planks by wedges in the dry season, it is floated down the rivers in the rainy season. As ships can be built cheaper at Rangoon than at Calcutta or Bombay, European speculators resort to this place to have their ships built ; but they procure their iron, masts, and cap stans from other quarters. The Arabs, however, have had vessels of 600 tons burden entirely built at Ran goon In 1800, when the cnppering and equipment was in the European style, shipbuilding was executed for 131. per ton.
The imports into this country are chiefly European goods, such as coarse piece goods, glass, hardware, and broadcloth, various cloths from India, tea and porce lain from China. The imports from the Britisn settle ments in 1794 and 1795 amounted to about 135,0001. sterling. The principal exports are wax, ivory and timber.
There are fitted out annually at Rangoon ten or twelve boats, with about thirty more from different towns on the Erawadi, which proceed by way of the Bassien river, along the coast of Aracan to Lucknow, Calcutta, and even to Patna. They generally carry from 1000 to 1500 maunds, (80 lbs. each,) with from twenty to twenty-five men. The value of each boat is about 4000 rupees, chiefly in bullion; the rest of the cargo consisting of sheathing boards, sticks of copper from China, stick lac, cutch, ivory, and wax.
The population of Rangoon consists, beside the Birmans, of Malabars, Moguls, Persians, Parsecs, Chinese, Armenians, Portuguese, French, and English ; many of them insolvent debtors from the different set tlements in India, who support themselves by carrying on a small trade. It contains 5000 registered taxable houses, which, reckoning six persons to a house, will give 30,000 inhabitants. The number of priests is es timated at 1500.
In January, 1810, Rangoon destroyed by fire. East long. 96° 9', and North lat, 16° 47'.
See Syme's Embassy to Ava ; and Cox's Notes on 'he Birmatz Empire.