The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-17 00:00:00

THE DESPATI

>PS TO INDIA.

Further papers on this subject have just been
issued (in continuation of those presented at the
end of 1857). They conclude a long series of de-
spatches from Governor Sir G. Grey, of the Cape
of Good Hope. In the first of these, dated the
28th of October, Sir G. Grey says Le cannot
possibly comply with a demand of 500 horses for
the Government of Bombay and at the same time
furnish 1,000 horses for Calcutta, He proposes
to send 280 horses to Bombay and to send
no more thither " till 1,000 had been shipped
for Calcutta. On the 2d of November Sir George
refers to the very exaggerated statements of the
force then serving in the colony, and adduces
figures to prove that on the 31st of July, 1857 (in-
cluding the German Legion), the force in that
"command" but slightly exceeded 10,400 rank and
file, and was very deficient in cavalry. "Nothing
but the presence of this force," adds the Governor,
" prevented a war which would have been as ex- .
pensive and lasting as other Caffre wars have been.
Let the consequences be what they
may, I shall do my duty, and not, in so far
as I can prevent it, permit any imprudent risk
to be incurred." Tho force in the colony •
in August, 1852, was 13,122, and strong in cavalry.
Under the same date Sir G. Grey gives a list of 92
officers and 1,743 men under orders for China, who
ha-t been diverted to India. Sir G. Grey enters
into a long and elaborate defence of his conduct
about the transmission or non-transmission of regi-
ments ; he says that a " misconception" has arisen
from the use of the term " regiment" in a nu-
merical point of view ; and he expresses his fear,
from certain expressions, that he shall be considered
to have fallen short of the instructions sent him
from home. He asserts that he will not attempt, .
by sending weak regiments, to enable himself to
say that he has sent "so many" regiments, but
that the force sent shall be useful and efficient. On
the 3d Nov. the despatch of 1,095 horses to India "
(in all) is reported to the Colonial-office. Sir G.
Grey, on the sth Nov., says that he intends to
complete the horses demanded by the Government
of Bombay. He estimates that four troops of horse
artillery have been sent on to India, seven field
batteries, and, in addition, 19 or 20 companies of
artillery, with several cavalry regiments ; he thinks,
therefore, more than 1,000 horses will be required
to render the forces effective in the field. Sir G.
Grey at this date again harps on the actual paucity
of the force in the colony as an excuse for not send- -.
ing out the six regiments originally demanded for
India and Ceylon. He considers certain previous
(discretionary) instructions of the let of August
non-applicable to the present state of affairs, and on
these the Governor decides to act in preference.
He again raises an alarm about the Caffres, but says
that he will send such troops to India as he thinks
he may send with safety. On 11th November Sir
George " intends" to forward 2,000 barrels of flour
to Calcutta at once, although half the supply -
was only asked for six mouths thence. Other
horses were from time to time despatched. On the
26th of December Sir George tells the Colonial. ‘,
Secretary that it would be impossible to send the
45th Regiment to India, as it was broken up in
detachments, but he promises its concentration as
soon as two young regiments reach the colony from
home. Mr. Secretary Labouchere, in his despatch/
to Sir G. Grey, eulogises his aid to India in the
way of horses ; as regards the despatch of troops,
referring to the original demand for six regiments,
and to Sir G. Grey's actual despatch of only four
with a detachment of artillery, he says :
"I am bot insensible to the weight of the reasons
which you allege for not having fully carried into effect -
the instructions of her Majesty's Government in regard
to the number of regiments which you were to send
from the Cape ; and I am unwilling to urge you to
weaken the military defences of the colony beyond what
in your deliberate judgment you may consider indispen-
sable to its security. You will, however, bear in mind
that any troops you can spare will assuredly be readily
provided for and usefully employed in India ; and her
Majesty's Government rely with confidence on your as-
surance that you will afford to the utmost extent of your -
power such a-sistance to the Government of India as cir-
cumstances will admit of. Your greater proximity to that •
country may give you opportunities of doing so without
the delay which would be occasioned by reference to
England ; and her Majesty's Government think it best
not to fetter your discretion and that of the Commander
of the Forces by more definite instructions in this .
respect."
This letter was dated the sth of February, 1858,
and on the sth ult. the Government (Lord Stanley
being then at the head of the Colonial Office) ap- •
prised the Governor of the Cape that the reserve
battalion of the 12th Foot was to be withdrawn
from the Cape without further relief.