The Press.
London, England, 1857-09-05 00:00:00

THE PRESS, SEPTEMBER 5, 1857.

while overhead the trees with their boughs and leaves
form a ceiling of network.
Below us were ravines and rocky precipices, where we
watched the shadows falling lower and lower till seemingly
lost in fathomless depths, where even the rays of the Indian
sun could scarcely penetrate. In the distance were count-
less ranges of mountains almost the same colour as the sky,
with the high lights Here and there on their rocky peaks
of a similar rosy tint to that of the clouds.
Nearer to us, mountains, thrown up in the strangest
forms, stood out in bold relief; some appearing to have
been suddenly raised, and almost looking as if " rearing
up;" others that seemed to have been torn asunder, stood
as isolatei pyramids; others again appeared to have been
cut into square blocks, and form some of the most conical-
shaped ones; it was almost disappointing not to see smoke
and flames rising up into the blue sky.
The second volume of Lady Falkland's
journal is devoted to the overland route home—
the voyage up the Nile, Thebes, and the
Pyramids. These are subjects with which we
all are more or less acquainted, but our readers
will find in Lady Falkland's varied descrip•
tions, if not much that is new, yet everything
to interest and amuse. In a word, " Chow-
Chow," is a most entertaining and agreeable
collection of anecdote, observation, and re-
miniscence.

The Mutiny of the Bengal Army. By One who
has Served under Sir Charles Napier.

London : Bosworth and Harrison.
IT is too early yet to attempt a history
of the mutiny in the Bengal army. We have
to put down the rebellion, and when we have
done that with success, and restored tran-
quillity to India, the time will have arrived
for an historical narrative of the momentous
event. Nevertheless, we are glad to see a dis-
position to discuss the causes of this alarming
revolt. There is abroad at present a feeling
fostered by certain journals that the nation
does not desire " discussion," hut " vengeance."
We venture to think that reflective men of all
classes, though astounded by the suddenness
of the event, and appalled by the terrible
atrocities which have marked its course, are
desirous of discussion in order to arrive at
some definite conclusion as to the real causes
of the outbreak. "What caused this mutiny ?"
is a question in every mouth. Let us see if
"One who has served under Sir Charles Napier"
can assist us to a reply.
The writer, a resident in India, and an eye-
witness of recent events, is neither a partisan
of the East India Government nor of his
former Chief, and in a plain, unvarnished
narrative discusses the organisation of the
Bengal army, gives a masterly exposition of
its faults in detail, and points out how the ab-
sorption of all regimental authority by the
Central Government at Calcutta inevitably ied
to a relaxation of discipline among the men
and a loss of influence among the officers.
For years, lie asserts, all this has been ripen-
ing into mutiny. Lord Ellenborough in his
brief career restored the discipline of the
army. Lord Dalhousie arrived in India, and
the old system of centralisation was orce more
enforced, the discipline of the army once
more weakened, and at length destroyed.
When that noble earl left India, although he
stated that the condition of the native soldier
wleft nothing to be desired," the Bengal army
as upon the eve of a revolt.

This laxity of discipline snd want of
organisation was incontestably a fertile source
of discontent among both officers and men of
the Bengal army ; but the ultimatum which
brought about the rebellion was the annexa-
tion of Oude, carried ont by Lord Dal-
housie in 1856, with the consent and ap-
probation of Lord Palwerston's Government.
That annexation was the act which preci-
pitated us into one of the bloodiest re-
volts that the empire has ever contended
against, and for this reason, that the Bengal
alloy was mainly recruited from Oude, and
that the Oude sepoy preferred the rule of his
native sovereign to the regulations of the Com-
pany. Upon this point the opinion of our
writer is worth extract :

Colonel Sleeman, for many years onr agent at the
Court of Lucknow, and one of the ablest men who ever
held that appointment, was so well aware of this fact,
that he lost no opportunity of impressing upon Govern-
ment his conviction that the annexation of Gude would
produce disaffection in the native army, principally
because it would transfer the family of the sepoy from the
operation of the regal regulations and justice of the king
of Oa& to our own civil courts.

But Colonel Sleeman died, and Sir James Outram
reigned in his stead. New councillors, aware of Lord
I)alhousie's mania for annexation, succeeded the tried
statesmen who had hitherto so successfully administered
the affairs of our empire on a contrary principle, and in an
evil hour Lord Dalhousie decided upon seizing Oude. Be
resolved to do it, too, in a manner the most offensive and
the most irritating to the large Makomedan population of
India, and the most prejudicial to our own character for
truth and honour. He secretly collected traops, entered
the kingdom of Oude like a thief in the night, marched the
British force directly upon Lucknow, and then, with the
capital of Oude virtually in his own hands, gave the first
intimation to the King of his impending fate. Wajid Ali,
of course, was unable to resist, and Ou•le became from that
moment a province of the British empire.
It is impossible to describe the mixed feelings o
indignation and hatred which pervaded the whole
Mussulman population of India when they heard of this
deed. Naturally treacherous themselves, they yet had an
instinctive admiration for honest and truthful dealing, and
they had hitherto placed implicit confidence in the word
of an Englishman. When, however, they learned the
story of the annexation, the juggle by which the King of
Oude had been done out of his dominions, their hearts
filled with rage and a desire for revenge. Our Mahomedan
sepoys were by that act alienated at once and for ever,
and the 'Endues began to reflect that the kingly power
which could condescend to trick a king out of his
dominions, might by a similar manoeuvre cheat them out
of their religion.

Such were the consequences of this flagi-
tious act. The discontent of the sepoys took
a practical shape under the tutelage of tho
Mahomedans, and the rest is matter of history.
Our author faithfully details the events of the
revolt, from the first symptoms at Barrack-
pore to the outbreak at Meerut, down to the
siege of Delhi and the investment by the rebels
of Cawnpore and Lucknow. He attributes
the positive revolt of the army to the inju-
dicious measures of General Hewitt at
Meerut. To be sure it is the last straw which
breaks the camel's back, but we suspect that
the disease was too deepseated for cure by any
measures which an individual general in com-
mand of an outpost might choose to adopt.
Possibly General Hewitt's want of judgment
and lack of decision precipitated, if it did not
give reins to, the career of the mutineers, but
the rebellion was only a question of time
after the annexation of Oude, and under
the faithless and aggressive policy pursued by
the East India Government. The details of
the mutiny are too fresh in our readers' minds
to need extract, but a personal sketch of Lord
Canning's advisers at this terrible crisis is not
without interest.

The Supreme Council of India is composed
of four members, in concert ►with whom the
Governor-General administers the affairs of
the country. At the time of Lord Canning's
assumption of office these members consisted
of Mr. Dorin and Mr. J. P. Grant, members of
the civil service; General Low, of the Madras
army ; and Mr. Peacock, of the English bar
There were four secretaries to Government :
Mr. Lushington for the financial, Mr. Beadon
for the home, Colonel Birch far the military,
and Mr. Edmonstone for the foreign depart-
ment. The following description is given of
the members of council and the military and
home secretaries :