American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-08-28
THE EASTERN DIFFICULTIES.

colonial power is enormous. She owns
about onc-seventh Of the carth's sur
face, and some three hundred millions
of its people acknowledge allegiance to
its sccptrc. The little island of Great
Britain is the nucleus to an enormous
amount Of colonial tail, and it is this
which gives the coiret its magnificent
proportions. Shorn of it's tail, Great
Britain would be about seventh rate
star. a successful East India revolt
would be II ponderous blow upon the
power and prosperity of Great Britain,
her colonial system would be shivercd
into fragments, and the pearls which
make up the gorgeous necklace would
be scattered to the four corners of the
earth. ...... ...
1t is well, therefore, for Great Brit
ain, that she has no one to deal with in
Bengal but the slavish and efficminate
llindoos themselves, who, refractory
and rebellious as they now are, have
most profound and edifying conviction
Of the superiority Of their white mas
tcrs. Ten British soldiers are at any
time match for hundred Scpoys.-
Great Britain may have to re. conquer
Bengal, and if the disafl'ccton spread,
the other Prcsidencics; but, unless Il
European war arise to disturb her en-
crgles-of which there now seems no
hkclihood-shc will once more subiu.
gate the whole country, no matter at
what cost, ard in such complete and
thorough manner that n successful re-
volt will hereafter be impossible. She
will not leave her colonial power again
at the mercy Of accident. AS soon as
quiet is restored in India, there will be
a thorough revision Of East Indian af-
fairs, the government Of that country
placed upon basis which will insure
efficiency, justice and the general wei
fare, whilst the AMY will, in all prob,
ability, be remoddlcd, so as to give it Il
greater infusion of the European Gle
ment. At present, the Indian cstab-
! llshment consists of about twenty. five
thousand Europeans, to some three
hundred thousand native soldiers. Lord
John Russell proposes that the army
shall be reduced to one hundred and fiji
ty thousand, bat that the English por-
ton of it shall be fifty thousand, instead
of twenty-five thousand as at present.
We may depend upon it that, upon the
rc-subjngation of the Indian empire,
the foundations of British rule will be
laid so deep and strong, that future
rebellion i'll India will have about as
much likelihood of success as in the
east anchored islc," under the very
eyes Of the Parliament house.
The war in China will not, perhaps,
be conducted with much vigor till the
mutiny in India is quclcd. Whilst in
the late actions with the junks, the Chi
ncse have exhibited unwontcd firmness,
the British navy, on the other hand,
has maintained it's traditionory charac-
ter for efficiency and pluck. If the
navy gained no laurcls in the war with
Russia, it was because it had no chance
to give the world test of its quality.
We believe it will be found that, if the
military proves Of England has at oil
declined, of which there is no evidence,
the navy is more formidable than it
ever was ut any former period, On
the whole, the civilized world will
look without regret upon the sprcadof
British empire in the East. If it fill
busters, it also civiizcs, and as the Hin
docs and Chinese must have a master,
it is better for the interests Of humani-
ty, that they should be under the tutc-
lage of a wise and free government like
that Of Great Britain, than under their
own barbarian princes or the military
despotisms Of Europc.--Richmond Dis
patch.