New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-08-13

and the remainder natives. These troops are ar
ranged into four distinct armies: the Queens, COM
posed Of the European regiments, and the Bengal,
the Bombay, and the Madras armies, each presi-
dency having native army of its own, with q sys-
TEN of organization and discipline in many partic-
ulars, peculiar to itself. To these armies are
attached 400 pieces of field artillery without To-
Guiding those in position in forts, or those IN the
arsenals-one Of which, however, that of Delhi,
and very large one, too, has fallen into the hands
of the revoters. Two reasons have occasioned
tbs small proportion Of Europeans: FIRST jeal'
ousy felt in England, and exhibited in the House OF
Commons ever since the time of Mr.. Fox OF sending
more than 60 coo regular troops to jealousy
based on the cid English sentiment of hostility to
standing armies and upon the extension Of MIMIC
terisl patronage to which an increase Of the Euro
pesn portion Of the Indan army would give occa
sion; secondly, the effect of the climate on Eu.
ropeans, and their incapacity, however good at
lighting to endure the drudgery of the service. II
is to be remembered however. that the officers Of
the native troops above the rank Of sergeants are
all Europeans, 50 that there exists in the native
regiments powerful European infusion. ltwould
seem, however, that of late years these European
officers Of the native regiments have for various
reasons lost good deal of the control and nfu-
eIce which they formerly exercised over their
troops. When men went out to India in the days
of Warren Hastings, or even in the time of Lord
Wellesley and adopted the Indian service as their
profession, they became completely Indian in their
feelings and habits. They passed the best part Of
their lives in India. They confined their attention
chiefly to Indian affairs troubling themselves
little with those of England, except as they bore
directly upon matters of interest to India.
Entirely absorbed in Indian affairs they became
themselves, to considerable degree Indians, and
adopted to certain exteDt the manners and even
the sentiments Of the country-an operation Of
which, the longer they remained, they became
more and more the subjects. Officers of this sort
were very likely to know the character of the
Indian soldiers they were to deal with. They were
likely to be able to comprehend their feelings, so
as to be ready to a certain extent to sympathize
with thtm, and thus to acquire the art of manag.
ing them, while they lost nothing of that influence
which the superiority Of European civilization asd
knowledge naturally gave them. In those times,
there were frequently European officers in the
native regiments Of twenty-five years standing or
mere, between whom and the natives the greatest
good will, and even intimacy, existed, and whose
confidence they gsined by joining in their pastmes
by contributions toward the expense of their
festvas by arranging their lawsuits, settling their
quar- rea aud play iDg with their little children.
Tb, state of things has Of late years been sreatly
cbansed large part of the best officers there, of
longest standing and having the most thorough
knowledge Of the natives, have been withdrawn
from their regiments to fill civil offices; while the
Younger cass of officers are inspired with very dill.
ferent feelings and ideas from those that used
to prevail. They no longer look to India as their
pcrmanent residence The facilities of steam
communication have not been an unmxed good.
The ease with which officers may now visit
England on furlougb, makes them cease to regard
India as in any respect their home. The !ouag
men who now go thiher hope before long to get
back again. They receive the English newspapers
regularly. They get letters from home twice
month Their feelings and habits remain English.
L
They cannot condescend to enter into the feelings
If the natives, and to show that sympathy which
existed between the two races in former times
Tie tore aid temper Of the officers Of the present
day are such aS TO lead them often at meas aud
UPON other occasions to speak Of the Sepoys as
"niggers," thus borrowing from US vulgar,m
which concentrates 10 it so many feelings Of disgust
and Contempt Such are some of the statements
recently MADE in the House Cf Commons by the
President of the Board Of Control and by ord John
Ru,sell-statenents which go very far to e1Plaio
the rapidty with which the revolt, commenced at
Meerut, has spread through the whole Bengal
army; fii;ysix regiments of which-or portions of
them-haye broken out into open mutiuy, while
thirty others hsve been dissrGed and one dis
bal ded, 20 that in fact The Bengal army has ceased
to exit.
As to other grievances, it would not appear that
the Sepoys bad any Of magnitude. Whatever may
have been the conduct of the English East India
Company toward the bulk Of the inhabitants, they
have always been generous enough to the Sepoys.
l. true that they have not the privilege Of rising
from the ralks to posts Of command, but the sam
hardship exists, as matter of fact if not law in
the English and in our American armies.
Another thing which no doubt contributed to tn
Japid stread Of the n,utiny was the peculiar com
position CT tie Bengal army. In the Bombay aud
Madras al mics, so.ne Of every sect and caste
edtogether into the same regimenss-Skls, Hin
dos of high caste Hindoos Of low caste, aud men OF
no caste at all; bat the Bengal army is composed
CHI, fy Of Brahmips, men OF one CASTE and CASTE
too in which the preudices Of religion may be sup
postd to exist in the highest degree, forming bond
& ...s.Lr aud nn;nn nnknnMn ia the armins nf