The Press. — London, England, 1857-12-05 00:00:00

1178 is the influence of character, that to this moment Lieu tenant Osborne, the sole European alive in Rewah, is felt by the natives to be at least a match for the regiment around him. To this hour, therefore, they are willing, when not stopped by force, to convey his messages and obey his commands. The country between Nagpore and Kalpee—an extent of some 350 miles, embracing the stations of Jubbulpore, Dumoh, Hoshungabad, Nagpore, Saugor, Bhopaul and Malwa, and an "exceedingly ugly " district for campaigning, forming as it does a series of elevated tableaux, buttressed by continuous ranges of hills—is more or less " one blaze of insurrection," the focus being at Jhansi, where the Ranee perpe trated the massacre of our countrymen and country women, and where she is now supported by 12,000 men, and is said to be in alliance with a neighbour• ing Rajah, who can bring into the field 12,000 more. Our own districts, of which Jubbulpore is the centre, are in a most disorganised state. Of Malwa we know less, but there is no reason to suppose that its population is gifted with a spirit dissimilar to the unfortunate one which at the present time pervades the whole of Central India, the north-west province, and Crude. The question here naturally occurs how are the people of these districts disposal towards us, and the answer• will apply equally to the mass of the population in India. We quote the Madras corre spondent of the Daily News : With regard to the people—my observations apply to the whole of the disturbed districts—a mass of facts may be alleged to show that though they cannot be said to have revolted against us, they have but too generally evinced a diposition to accept a revolution and all its excesses. No sooner has a successful mutiny broken out in a station than the country around it immediately exhibited all the signs of disPrtzanisation, the villagers in many instances falling upon the fugitives, and dashing their brains out, with clubs and stones, as if from a fierce and irresistible antipathy to the whole race of Europeans; an antipathy such as, many years ago, Sir Charles Metcalfe emphatically declared to exist throughout the country, and to be the rock upon which our rule, some future day, would inevitably split. The country people, he goes on to remark, are little above the condition of savages, and in some par ticulars manifest their lowest characteristics ; they are completely at the mercy of the impulse which comes over them for the moment : They may frequently be moved by feelings of humanity, but the gratification of revenge, lust, and cruelty, they are unable to resist; and they are perfectly incapable of weigh ing the chances of a remote day of reckoning against the momentary deligit of plunder, torture, or murder. We can estimate very fairly from these facts the nature of the contest we are about to enter upon. In the Punjaub, the insurgent tribes are now said to be 3,000 strong in the hills, which are imprac ticable for the movements of cavalry and artillery. From Madras there is a statement that a rising has taken place along the Coromandel coast, but no place is named. Sumbhulpore has been seized by a man named Sunder Shah, a released convict, with 1,000 ruffians, not sepoys. It is this disorganisation which is so dangerous, more so even than the mutiny. This brings the waves of rebellion close upon the frontiers of the Madras Presidency. It will be curious to watch its effects. There is a report, also, that the troops of the Rajah of Travancore have shown symptoms of disaffection, but it requires con firmation. Since the affair at Awah, in which we failed to take that place from the Joudhpore Legionaries, that fort has been evacuated, and these rebels are out plun dering the country. Bewar is in a bad state from the disaffection of some of the 12th Native Infantry and 2nd Cavalry there, whom it has been found necessary to disarm. Ajmere, however, is safe and quiet, and a siege-train is ready there for future use. The Bbeels are as troublesome as ever on both sides of the Nerbudda, the pass at Sindwa. near Mhow, being still in their hands. In Khandeish, predatory bands are everywhere up in arms, and no really strong move can be made against isolated bodies of them. At present, writes the Times Bom bay correspondent, " they are rendering the roads unsafe, and doing a good deal of mischief." The only thing that has been done was a smart little action against the Bheels at Sinnore, the same who killed Captain Henry a short time ago. These plunderers were attacked and dispersed on the 18th of October by Captain Graham, of the 4th Rifles, and Mr. Chapman, C.S., both of whom were wounded On the occasion. The Bheels fled towards Nassick, and will probably (says a Bombay writer) "rally elsewhere, after the approved fashion of the Pin darrees of old." Baroda, in Guzerat, has been threatened by bands of coolies, much the same sort of brigand as the Bheels, urged on by influential natives at the Ghoek war's court, who have been arrested, however, and will suffer as similar conspirators have done here, at Ahmedabad, and elsewhere. At Ahmedabad there was quite a theatrical display of death in various forms; eighteen men of the Bombay Grenadiers were executed at the same moment, by hanging, musketry, and cannon. The plot in which they were distinctly proved to have been concerned was THE PRESS, DECEMBER 5, 1857. of the most thoroughgoing and bloody character. All met their dooms without uttering a word. Such has been usually the case with the mutineers. In the executions at Koiapore, no fewer than fifty men had suffered at var►ous times before one was found to accept the proff-xed boon of life on condition of telling what he knew of the mutiny. Near Hindia, on the Nerbudda, the Madras troops were hanging a man when the rope broke. He himself adjusted the rope round his neck with a double turn, and was then finally turned off. The South Mahratta country is quiet from fear. There was nearly an outbreak at Ko!apore on the 25th, owing to a belief that Colonel Jacob was about to seize the person of the Rajah, but the alarm passed off. S►r Hugh Rose is to have the P , ►oual► Division, the present general (Schuler) going for the re mainder of his term to Kurraohee to replace General Scott, removed by the Horse Guards. Brigadier-General Jacob is said, by the Poonah Observer, to have involved himself in a dispute with Lord Canning. The viscount's quarrels seem to he accumulating. CALCUTTA. At Calcutta continued distrust of the Government exists. Newspapers are warned, not for writing original articles, but for republishing from the Lon don journals, and especially from THE PRESS, articles which are unpalatable to the Calcutta Government, and an order prohibiting the importation of the Lon don journals is reported to be contemplated by the Calcutta Council. All information relative to the state of affairs up country is rigidly suppressed, and the discontent of the European inhabitants of Cal• cutta has not been lessened by the passing of the " Arms Act," nor by the manner in which their petition against it has been received. By this act the loyal European and the rebellious native are placed on an equality ; the former is not allowed to have in his possession a weapon of defence against the latter without previously registering it. " When it is recollected," writes a correspondent, " that this act was passed for the avowed purpose of disarming the native population of Calcutta, an 6 that, like the Press Act, it has been turned into a weapon of offence and insult against the independent Euro peans, it is easy to see that they can only lock for justice and reparation to England." As to the state of the country, the best evidence, writes the Calcutta correspondent of the Daily News, of the state of disorder still prevailing in the upper provinces is the fact that we can get no information for weeks together : The blow struck at Delhi has by no means paralysed the mutineers. If they have fled thence, it has only been to form elsewhere, and I expect they will yet make a deter mined stand in Oude. " I regret to sa:," writes another correspondent, " the country is in a sad state of disorganisation now ": The same reason which the illustrious Metcalfe then assigned as a cause for disaffection in those limited affairs may be alleged with eval justice as to the population of the vast tracts which are now in a disturbed state—habitual disaffection operated upon by the spirit cf insurrection, and an invincible antipathy to the European race, excited by false notions that the time was favourable to throwing off the yoke Popular disaffection has shown itself an incident of a military revolt, and though in itself utterly contemptible and easily put down _when troops are at our command, it is productive of the most horrible dis organisation, and the most atrocious wickedness, when there are no available means to check it, and it follows, burning, plundering, and murdering, in the wake of a re bellious army. The greater part of Northern and Central India is now an example in point. " The class of persons," writes another correspon dent, " among whom sedition has discovered itself embraces men of the highest consideration ": A short time since, a nobleman, resident in Nagpore, possessed of twenty-four hies of rupees (240,0001.), and held in great respect by the British authorities, was found guilty of treason, condemned, and hanged. The means of transport at Calcutta are sadly deficient ; and when we remember that five months have elapsed from the fist outbreak of the mutiny, the public may well be astonished at such an an thentic statement as the following from the Times csirrespondent No great body of troops can be available for another month, and even then there will be great difficulty in find ing carriage. The Government is adopting every expe dient in its power to collect means of transport. The zemindars have been requested to furnish elephants, and bullock carriages are building in Calcutta. This will, however, be the great difficulty, and it ought to be sup plied from England. It is not too late even now. We want a dozen little steamers, regular Thames ferryboats, and 5,1)04) light vans, with covers, and wheels of iron without tires. It is difficult i.i places to mend tired wheels. A few thousand tents, too, would be very much in place, if sent in swift steamers. It has been suggested that Go vernment might seize all private carriages, and compel every zemindar to give up his elephants ; but all revolu tionary energy is wanting.—Times cur., Oct. 22. Another great difficulty now pressing on the Cal cutta Government is the disposal of the disarmed mutineers. There are more than 20,000 men in this position. One party would put them to death as mutineers ; another, and a much larger one, would send them to the Andaman Isles ; a third talks of disbandment ; a fourth, of reorganisation. The views of Government are not know, writes the Times correspondent, but it is most improbable that these men will ever again be trusted : One or two regiments may, bat the remainder must at least be dismissed. At present they are drawing pay for detaining European troops in inconvenient posilions. This, however, is not the fault of the Administration. Government cannot issue its decree until the European troops have arrived. The English people of Calsutta have no faith at all in the religious element as the moving power of this revolt : The revolt is in their opinion a great Mussulman con spiracy, organised by (I give the name privately). This individual, partly by working on their religious feelings, partly by large bribes and larger promises, secured the principal Mussulmans of most regiments. They industriously spread the report that Lord Canning intended to convert the Hindoos, and that the Enfield cartridges were intended to break the caste, and so render further measures easy. Having succeeded in obtaining the support of the influential Hindoos, they proceeded to plan the massacre of the Europeans. Every European in Bengal was to have perished on the nig'it of the cen tenary of Plessey. The preparations were nearly complete, when General Hewett's blunders at Meerut saved the empire. But for the mutineers' success at Meerut not a European could have survived to tell the tale. By the mercy of God the telegraph was in existence, and in a few hours the danger was understood from Peshawar to Tye. vanc.lre. You know the rest, but I must also record the universal belief that unless the vengeance of England is as mighty as the crime our Sicilian vespers may yet be repeated. The Calcutta Government is still of opinion that the movement has been a sudden and unintelligible burst of fanaticism. In that case two circumstances remain unexplained. First, the juncture of Mus sulmans and Hindoos ; secondly, that the native Christians, except at Delhi, have not suffered. The people of Jaunpore, moreover, have offered volunta rily to rebuild the mission church and schools, and in no proclamation issued by natives is there any mention whatever of the missionaries. RETIREMENT OF GENERAL WILSON Major-General A. Wilson has been compelled, owing to the impaired state of his health, to relin quish the command of the Delhi field force. The gallant general may rest upon his laurels, as his name will be long remembered as the " Conqueror of Delhi," and his services will be rewarded by a grateful country. Major-General N. Penny, C. 8., has been nominated General Wilson's successor in the command of the Delhi field force. This officer served during the Nepaul war in 1814.15-16, and in the Mahratta war of 1816-17, Gurra Kotah 1818, and at the siege of Bhurtpore in 1825, receiving a medal for his services, and the brevet. rank of major. Major- General Penny was afterwards employed in the campaign on the Sutlej, and was present at the battles of Aliwal and Sobraon, at the latter of which he was wounded. For his services in this campaign he received a medal and clasp, and was made a C. 13. Major-General Penny was likewise actively engaged during the campaigns in the Punjaub in 1848.49, being present at the battles of Chillianwallah and Goojerat, and subsequent pursuit of the Sikhs and Affghans under General Gilbert (medal and clasp). OF THE TROOP SHIPS despatched, there have arrived the Golden Fleece, which left Eng!and en August Bth with 900 men,—two companies of the 42nd, and seven companies of the 34th ; the Caledonia and Thebes steamers, which left Kingstown on the 26th and 31st of July, bringing 200 and 378 men and officers ; and the Assistance, screw transport, which left England in May, with 700 men of the 82nd, originally intended for China. The difficulty now is how to send these troops as fast as they are required up country. There is no difficulty in getting them to Raneegunge, 120 miles, where the railway termi• nates, but beyond that there are no conveyances for sending on more than 100 to 150 men a day, besides what can be sent by the river stesmers, which arc entirely at present in Government employ. It will be some time before the last of the 20,000 men expected here can see Allahabad ; and if anything can open the eyes of our rulers to the necessity of pushing on railways in India immediately, at any cost, the delay which is occurring in moving up troops where they are so urgently and imminently required should have that effect. When all the reinforcements now on their way or under orders have reached their destination, the total force of her Majesty's troops at the disposal of the Indian Government will be as follows :-11 regiments of cavalry, 55 regiments of infantry, 4 troops of horse artillery, 11 companies of foot artillery, 7 field batteries, 4 companies of engineers. Making, together with the Company's European regiments, a total, in round numbers, a 87,000 Europeans.