The Press.
London, England, 1857-07-11 00:00:00

THE PRESS, StrLyl

185'

feeling that the Indian authorities were about to
convert them to Christianity, either by fore* or stra-
tagem. Mistaken as such an idea was, it must be
confessed there has been much in our rooent con-
duct and legislation that would induce an Asiatic to
give it credence. Our railways and telegraphs, ab-
solutely necessary for the development of India,
could not fail to disturb Oriental equanimity. The
Aot of the Bengal Government, suppressing the
Hindoo festival of Churruck Poojah (since re-
scinded) ; the enactments changing the law of suc-
cession and permitting the remarriage of Hindoo
widows; the hasty attempt of the Government—at

~i~

the instigation of some visionary lawyers, alike un-
acquainted with the feelings, habits, and customs of
the country—to introduce a universal code, distaste-
ful to Mahometans, Hincloos, Christians, and British
subjects of the Company ; large education grants, of
which ninety five per cent was expended in well-
paid professorships and buildings, and five per cent.
it vernacular education ; the existence in Bengal of
a notoriously inefficient and venal police, affording
the inhabitants less protection than they formerly
enjoyed under the Hindoo or Mahometan dynasties ;
the wide-spread rumour that Lord and Lady Can-
ning, who made their missionary seal extremely
conspicuous, had gone to India pledged to the Queen
to convert the natives to Christianity ; commanding
officers of regiments distributing tracts on their
march, and otherwise attacking the Hindoo and
Mahometan religions; members of the Legislative
Council of Bengal presiding at all the missionary
meetings, and their daughters, in defiance of Oriental
propriety, preaching in the bazaars 1 these
eollectively furnished a series of causes quite
sufficient to produce a rebellion against our
rule. Universal history teaches us that it is
impossible to reason with men who believe their
religion to be in danger; and Bishop Heber, than
whom no man could be more anxious for the con-
version of the natives, psinted out that our mission-
aries would have no chance of guesses if their
operations had any appearance of being in connection
with the State. We look back with dis may upon the
Bengal authorities recklessly forcing on so many
changes without making a single effort to conciliate
the prejudices of the natives, or to disabuse their
minds of the fear that we were about to break faith
with them as respected the enjoyment of their own
religious customs; and yet this was the conduct that
her Majesty's Government highly commended and
approved! When the intelligence of the mutiny of
the 19th Native Infantry was received, and Lord
Ellenborough, in the Moose of Peers, justly con-
tended that the Indian Government ought to have
issued proclamations to dispel the alarm and repu-
diate all intention of interfering with the religion of
the natives, Lord Granville replied, on the part of her
Majesty's Government, that the Indian authorities
had acted most judiciously in issuing no such pro-
clamations. But no sooner did the mutiny spread
from end to end of Bengal, than the Indian
authorities shower them all over the country. Had
they been promulgated in time, they might have
prevented the spread of the mutiny ; but coming too
late, and evidently dictated by fear, it is no wonder
that the natives placed no confidence in their asser-
tions. The final circumstance that ignited the pile
of discontent is well known to have been the issue of
cartridges greased with animal fat, and which the
native soldiers looked upon as one of the stratagems
to convert them to Christianity, by first destroying
their caste.

Having thus succeeded in exciting a mutiny, let
us see whether the Indian Government exhibited as
much promptitude and decision in quelling it as the
Ministerial organs would have us believe. The 6th
Cavalry and the 00th Rifles (Queeu's troops) were
at Meerut when the native regiments mutinied, and
were leisurely permitted to indulge in all the bruta-
lity of an Oriental butchery of their officers and
other Europeans, in the presence of an overwhelming
European force. When this force was brought into
play the mutineers and rioters were dispersed, large
numbers of them being kilted. We may estimate

their resistance from the fact that they were put to
flight without any loss of life to the Europeans.
Incredible as it may appear, they were permitted
to retreat quietly to Delhi, where they were joined—
by all se...counts, most unwillingly on the part of one
of them—by the three native regiments that garri-
soned the town, and after great delay by part of the
artillery. Here again there seems to have been the
same indecision and infatuation on the part of the
officers. Had the 74th (the unwilling regiment)
and the artillery been immediately led out against
the mutineers, and blood once spilt on either side,
all chance of a junction would have been at an end.
The all-pervading imbecility seems to have in-
fected the Governor-General, who after the corn-

mencement of the mutiny disbanded within sixteen
miles of Calcutta the 34th and 19th Native Infantry,
to find their way to their own homes, 500 or 6()0
miles distant, as well as they could, and to become
plunderers and leaders of the disaffected in their way.
Now, if we take the most favourable view of the
revolt, and assume that it is confined to the Bengal
troops, and that there is no rising of the population,
or of the neighbouring States, the reinforcements
sent out must prove inadequate, and from the nature
of the climate marching European troops through
Bengal at this season may be attended with fatal
results. Under any circumstances, the entire Bengal
army requires to be remodelled, and this can only be
effected in the presence of a large force of troops
that can be perfectly relied upon, and such can only
be Europeans.

But are we wise in calculating as a certainty that
the inhabitants of Bengal will not rise and join the
mutineers ? Our Eastern subjects have no confi-
dence in the Government of India—a thing not be
expected under our system of constantly attacking
vested rights ; and even the measure of endurance of
the long-suffering Hindoo may at last be full. It
should also be remembered that between Calcutta
and Dacca is a line of villages principally inhabited
by Ferazees, the most fanatical sect of Mahometans,
who look upon the murder of a Feringhee as the
most meritorious act they can perform, and so keep a
puppet king at Moorshedabad, whom the insurgents
might endeavour to use as a rallying point for their
cause. Every consideration proves the necessity for
preparation; and I may mention that, to add to our
difficulties, there are symptoms of disturbance in
Ceylon, where according to the last mail the Cingalese
chiefs connected with the Government had resigned
their employment—an action which has on former
occasions been followed by revolt.

It is most unfortunate at such a crisis that the
chief command of the Indian army should rest with
a gentleman who can scarcely be considered better
than an amateur, as he has seen no service since the
battle of Waterloo, and the subsequent victories he
has been engaged in have been confined to the turf.
Lord Palmerston, or a higher personage, might be
able to inform us why so important a post has been
so peculiarly filled. At any rate, the performances
of the gallant general have been very characteristic,
and fully vindicated his attachment to British
sports, for it is recorded that on hearing of the
mutiny he came down a little way from the hills,
made a speech, purchased a cricket-bat, and
returned to Simla. Let us, therefore, hope that
mu if we should lose India, we may enjoy the
satisfaction of knowing that General Anson has won
his game.

VISCOUNT MONCK and MR. W. M. THACKERAY are
reported as among the probable candidates for Oxford
City.
A FEARFUL MURDER was committed at Sierra
Leone on the night of the 14th of May. Captain
Pearsoa, of the Ist West India Regiment, entered
the apartment of Lieutenant Watson, of the 3rd Weet
India Regiment, and, lifting the mat partition, shot
him dead as he lay asleep in his bed. On the pre-
vious evening at a public entertainment the Captain
played Othello, Lieutenant Watson played lago' and
the part of Desdentona was performed by Mrs.Fitz-
maurice, who appears to have been the unfortunate
cause of this sad catastrophe. The inquest returned
a verdict of " Wilful Murder," which was probably
confirmed at the trial appointed to take place on the
21st, of June.