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

A PROPERTY TAX FOR INDIA.

(From the Times.)

It is certain that the fall of Delhi and the speedy
suppression of the Indian mutiny will be a gain on
other grounds than those of humanity and national I
prestige. The cost of this terrible episode in our
history will certainly not be small. True, as far as
human judgment can discern, the future benefit
will more than counterbalance the present expense.
But the expense is not the less to be met now, and
anything which will tend to lessen it must be con-
sidered a piece of national good fortune. There is
certainly no other country which could have trans-
ported 50,000 men so quickly from various parts of
the world to the scene of disturbance. A large
army from home, 5,000 men diverted from the
Chinese expedition, several regiments from the
Cape and Mauritius, and several more from other
dependencies of the Crown, will before this have
landed on Indian soil. But the despatch of this
vast force with such celerity and completeness has,
of course, necessitated a large outlay, and even
though the rebels be crushed as an army it will be
necessary to maintain strong bodies of Europeans
to punish the robberies, murders, and other out-
rages to which the country must be exposed from
desperate bands of outlaws. The cost of transport
will be very large, for some of the finest steamers
and the largest and fastest clippers in the world
have been taken up in order to convey the troops
in the shortest time possible. The military stores
and the outfits of the men sent suddenly on this
service must also add a large sum to the account.
So it is not at all too early to speculate on the
manner in which unforeseen disbursement is to be
met.

A few months since we were congratulating our-
selves on the return of peace, reduced armaments,
and economical habits. The removal
of the In-
come-Tax and of more than one obnoxious impost
Was almost within sight. A long series of years
spent in producing and consuming, earning and sav-
ing, seemed a certainty. But the millennium of
Manchester was not to be yet. The Persian War was
scarcely over when the Canton troubles began, and
these were soon to be forgotten amid the tempest
which is still raging. However, we must, in justice
to eur patient and hardworking people, continue to
keep in prospect a. remission of taxation and a reduc-
tion of expenditure. Where the national honour
is concerned they have never declined either to
fight or to pay. Where the safety of a colony has
been threatened by a foreign enemy or the maraud-
inga of any savage race, they have readily sent regi-
ments to protect the settlers, and afterwards taken
the whole expense on themselves. But this kind of
self-sacrifice may be carried too far. If theinhabit-
ants of these two islands are to bear every charge
which is incurred by the treach,ry or turbulence of
any race throughout the Empire, a time must come
when people will begin to listen to those who de-
clare that a country has no business with depen-
dencies, that we should cut our colonies adrift, and
have no other than commercial relations with any
spot beyond the four seas. We cannot conceive
anything more malignant and unprovoked than this
Bengal mutiny. The people were prosperous be-
yond any precedent within the range of history, the
soldiery were well treated and well cared for in old
age, their religion was not only respected, but even
honoured as a kind of dominant church, their pre-
judices of caste were inviolate, their caprices too
much humoured by the negligence or good-nature
of the authorities ; yet, without a cause or even a
pretext, they burst into insurrection over an ex-
tent of 1,500 miles, slaughter their officers, vio-
late women, cut children into pieces, and crown
their audacity and insolence by setting up a
King of their own out of the degenerate family
of the Moguls. The peasantry have not, indeed,
joined them, but" it is more than probable that a
rich and influential class has not been unwilling
to profit by the misdeeds of the soldiery. These
considerations lead but to one conclusion. India
should be made to pay entirely, or in great
part, the cost of the struggle. A war contribu-
tion might be fairly levied on the provinces which
have been the scene of such atrocities. Actively
or passively they have been guilty, and should
bear the punishment. Every class and creed in
India should be made to feel that the race which
rules them cannot be defied and injured with
impunity. While we punish the mutineers with
death or banishment, we should give the country
in general a lesson which will discourage it from
any repetition of the late enormities.
India is rich in hoarded wealth. For years that
country has been drawing in and absorbing silver
at the rate, it is said, of six millions sterling annu-
ally. Within no very long period forty millions are
calculated to have passed from European circula-
tion into the coffers or hiding-places of these Asia-
ties. There are in India fortunes which would be
considered immense even iu the City of London.
The Baboo bargains and speculates, and scrapes
and saves, until he has amassed millions of rupees,
while his taxes are next to nothitkg. The taxes of
the country are, indeed, heavy, but they all fall on
the unfortunate ryot. The tax on salt, like any
which affects an article of universal consumption,
is a poll-tax. The peasant uses as much as the
rich man who is covered with shawls and studded
with diamonds. The peasant pays a rent, and a
high rent, for his laud; the wealthy trader escapes.
In fact, as in most Eastern countries, taxation is
irregular, unsystematic, and felts with greatest
weight on those who ought to be spared. It must
be remembered, also, that the wealthy flindoos owe
to us the security which allows them to heap to-
gether their wealth. There is no pr'nce, or vizier,
or licentious palace guard to despoil them, to
denounce them, to bring them to the dungeon or
to execution. In return for this safety and tran-
quillity we have a right to demand that they
shall add to the resources of the State. A con-
tribution in some form or other to the present
necessities of the empire should be exacted from
those most able to bear it. Perhaps a property-
tax, extending the burden over a series of years,
would be the simplest and most equitable device.
It seems to us that the consideration of this
question can be no longer delayed. The cost of the
Indian struggle has, no doubt, added to the diffi
citifies of the present financial crisis. 'We are told
that three or four million sterling in specie may be
considered to have been remitted to India since the
outbreak. Every endeavour should be used to put
a stop to such a state of things. The Indian Go-
vernment should deal with the insurrection as if
India were an independent country. Suppose this
to be the case, and England to be merely an ally
which furnishes the legitimate Sovereign with men
t 3 uphold his rights. Then, of course, the Govern-
ment which invoked and received assistance would
be forced to pay all the expenses of transport by
sea and land of military stores and munitions, be-
sides supporting the whole army while engaged on
the service. The sums necessary would, of course,
be levied on the country which was the seat of in-
surrection ; and, if the loyal suffered with the
treacherous, it would only be in accordance with
the inevitable law which links together for good
or evil all the members of a community.
.Let, then, the Indian Government look at once
to its finals eel affairs. The people of England are
not disposed to be taxed for Sepov atrocities. The
Governor-General and his Council have the country
in their hands, and in all that is right they will be
supported by the Crown, the Parliament, and
pubic opinion at home. If it be necessary to sus-
pend specie payment', to issue Government notes,
ieearing interest, but inconvertible during a fixed
term ; if the disorganisation of the country and the
diminution of revenue from opium and other
sources repair° new expedients for raising money,
let them consider the matter fully, and boldly state
their objects and their demands. The nation has
learnt enough of India to preclude the success of
any humanitarian cry about exaction and extor-
tion ; it will, we are sure, grant any reasonable
powers to a Government which gives proof of capa-
city to act with courage, wisdom, and severity.

t THE LIBERATION OP THE 150 PRISONERS AT CAW--
PORE.—It is a singular fact that none of the recent offi-
cial letters from India even hint at the alleged liberation
of 150 prisoners by Mr. Grant, at Cawnpore, and the
private letters are equally silent. TOere is a letter in
tom from an officer high in command, dated Sept. PI,
from the spot, and it contains no mention of the trans-
action.

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