The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-04 00:00:00

THE MUTINY IN INDIA.

The Univers contains the following article on the
mutiny among the native troops in India :--
"In our opinion, it is wrong to attribute the discontent
of the troops to attempts of religious propagandism, for the
Indians are not so susceptible on this point as is believed.
The cause is rather to be ascribed to the general conduct of
the English towards the natives. The English, in conse-
quence of the haughtiness and disdainful stiffness which
characterise them, have never succeeded in obtaining the
sympathy of the populations with whom they come into
contact. Hatred may be forgotten and acts of cruelty for-
given, but contempt and disdain always remain an effective
barrier. Look at the Irish : they cross the ocean and seek
a new home in America, where, however, they meet with
the descendants of their oppressors, who have denied their
ancestors and detest them profoundly. Nevertheless, the
Yankees have preserved that offensive contempt for the
vanquished race, and in the New World hatred and anti-
pathy exist more than ever. The Poles are less separated
from the Russians than are the Irish from the English.
But it is far worse with the Hindoos. India has never
been otherwise for England than a rich and fertile country,
that offered abundant spoils. The Company has, it is true,
reduced in certain places the taxes imposed by native
princes, and has regulated their collection, but on the
whole the former taxation has been maintained, so that
the poor Hindoos have gained nothing by their revolts, and
now pay to foreigners what they paid to native rulers.
England, with persevering skill, has employed every means
to consolidate her power. She has allowed few Englishmen
to settle in the country, being aware of the haughtiness of
their character ; moreover, the American rebellion has
taught her to mistrust her own children. The officials of
the Company are forbidden to come into direct contact
with the mass of the population, and they select docile and
respected agents ; finally, they are ordered to respect with
the greatest care the customs and prejudices of the natives.
The Company, to complete its work, has organised a nume-
rous army of natives, whoare, however, mainly commanded
by European officers and non-commissioned officers. This
army is well disciplined, but has not received too deve-
loped an instruction, and does not possess improved
weapons ; but it has sufficed, supported as it is by admi-
rable European troops, to maintain peace in the country
and to keep in order the inactive population. A few
years ago, if we remember right, a Sepoy regiment refused
to eat cow-beef, and, leaving its lines, sat down in the open
field in one large circle; the men remained in that position,
and without eating, for three days, and they were deter.
mined on starving themselves in the event of Government
declining to accede to their claims. We are enabled by
present events to judge of the immense change effected
among the Sepoys within a few years. The resignation
and submission which once distinguished them appear to
have vanished. Hitherto Great Britain has, in India as in
Europe, parried the dangers which result from the vast na-
ture of her enterprises by increasing the latter; but these
enterprises are out of all proportion to the military re-
sources of the country, and menace her with a fearful
reaction and with a terrible decline."