Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1857-09-04
va q do lnalan Muinyl

j AOl DulN ANtNt ElhG n MNtk 1cAcAH
view Of the Bengal mutiny that we have any
where net with:
Have cur readers attempted 10 fOrm to them
selves anything like an exact notion Of what
is implied BY the words /" mutiny Of tie Bengal
srmyf" We fear not and we will try TO help
them form one.
British lr,dia has q superficial extent Of up
wards Of 10000 square miles, with a popula-
ton Of about 100 100000. The native Slater
adjoining to or surrounded BY the British ter
ritorT nav have a superficial extent Of nearly
500. 600 square miles, with a population which
falls little short Of 200 900 COO. With the eX-
ception Of Burmsh and Nepaul, and one or two
petty governments, all these States have en-
tered into treaties with the British Govern
ment, By which they have renounced the right
Of self-defenss and the right Of maintaining
diplomatic relations with each other. But
none Of them are forbidden and some Of them
are repaired to maintain each a separate mill
tary force. The aggregate military forces OF
he native princes are little short of 400 600
men-an amount exceeding BY about 100 OO0
the numerical strength Of the Anglo-Indian
army.
OF the 100000 square miles which we have
taken as the approximate superficial extent Of
British India, about I36, 900 are included in the
Presidency Of Madras, and 10000 in the Pres
idenCy Of Bombay the remaining 444,0O0 are
1AlNNNA EAAlNA MaAlnANn VI ALAAlEAANANANH ~
the Presidency Of Bengal. And this Immense
extent Of country is inhabited by a population
amounting to nearly S0,000,O00.
OF this territory our two most recent acqni-
sitions-the PunJsub and the kingdom Of Dude
form part. A lumber Of small native States
are ~snolaSes within it. Nepsul sdjoinS its
northern and Burmsh its southern frontier;
Holkar are contiguous to its southern frontier.
BensTes, the great central Of BrshminicaI or
ganlzatiOn and influence is situated in uearly
the centre OF this territory, which contains
also Lucknow and Delhi, which, with Hyders-
bad in the Dscean, may now be considered as
forming the three principal centres Of Mshom-
metan influence and agitation.
Now, throughout TINS Immense Territory al
most every regimeht # the Bengal army either
IS IN open mutiny OF viewed with suspfsion.
some regiments have been disbanded some ]
have been dissTmed- The soldiers of TIE dis
banded regiments have returned mutinous and
malcontent 10 their homes, or are struggling in
bands Throughout the country. The soldiers
Of the disarmed regiments are afrouted and IL
utated some have deserted, others remain
modify at their stations. Though several re-
gIments remain apparently faithful, it must be
Kept n mind that among tie mutineers are the
men Of several regiments which for a time
made most speciOus demonstrations Of loyalty.
At Delhi aud several other places the mutt
neers are wsgung open war against the Anglo
Indian Government.
We hear it repeated on all sides that the IL
suTrection is confined exclusively to the army.
Let Us not deceive ourselves by Phrssss. The
army in India is not merely a BODY organized
for defense against foreign aggression. It is
the main, almost the sole INSTRUMENT Of inter-
nal civil government. Almost all the duties OF
a pollce-saeh as the suppression of robbers
and the execution Of the DEGREES Of the courts
OF justiee-devolve upsn the soldiery. When
treasure is usvsd from one part Of the country
70 another, il is under en- escort Of soldiers
when the civil officers travel it is with a mili-
tary guard When we say that the Bengal
army Is nearly, If not entirely dissolved, we say
that the insIrumentality BY which the civil
Government carries out its behests is destroy
ed that all civil Authority throughout the
Bengal Presidency and its dependencies is
paralyzsd.
This is not all. The Bengal army, with the
exception Of a few regiments Of Ghoorkas and
Sikhs, is recruited from the Hindoo and Mus
sulmsn population. The Massalmsns muster
strongest IN the cavalry, the hindOos in the in
fantry. The HindOos are almost exclusively
RsjPoOts OF Brabmins. A large proportion
both of the Mussulmansa and Hindoos have been
recruited in Dude, the Sovereign Of which has
recently been depossd. The native soldiers
are almost the Only class Of natives who are
animated BY a sense Of political importance.
Even the Sepoys Of the foot regiments are
placed, BY their moderate pay, in q state Of
~sfluence as compared with the great mass Of
the village population. The aoldisrs Of tie ir-
corps may be regarded almost ss a
kind Of minor gentry. Now, these men have
annual furioughs, Of considerable length, during
which they visit their respective homes and
play the part Of men Of Importance among the
villagers. There are, also, scattered through
out tie country, old soldiers living in retire
ment. We know, from recent events, that, b.
means Of letters and messengers, the soldiers
Of the different regiments keep up an active
correspondence with each other; lie It not pcs
sible that thsy may also keep up a eorrespon-
dence with nOn-miiitary friends? The Euro
Pean population IN India j. a small fraction.
Few Europeans possess more than an impeT-
conversational acquaintance with the ma
languages. Difference Of social habits
and modes Of thought preeludes in tbs rule
habits of intimacy between Europeans and ma
aves. The native soldier is Identifies with TIE
native population, while his English masters
are 80 many alien disjsets meBtra tossed help
on It's tumultuOus waves.
IL - obvious from these considerations that
tue nutinY in The Bengal army has a social
and civil import far bs7ond what could posi-
bly, attach 10 the nutiny Of an English army
at home. Let US ask ourselves, moreover,
WnIle We speak OF clEaiectlol as confined 10 the
ranks Of the native army, who youches for the
Of The ennumerable native officials at
Lacbsd to the various administrations and
courts Of justice in the Mofussil? The matinE
IN the army has 20 sngrossed The attention *
Europeahs IN India that 20 oae has thought
I worth while 70 send US word how the native
.iVil servants are deporting themselves at the :
present crisis. It is not s Toang BengalD that
xe are apprehensiys o.. The declainers In I
hat native press whose f~erocity has frightened !
Legislative COuhcil Of India into its silly.
offensive, and useless press licensing art, are a z
mall knot Of young nen IN whom q bali E no. G
,san education has excited a fsntastieal sdni- {
alton Of old Indian usages, akin 70 the nedi-
.vsl foliies Of English Prseyites and Scotch {
,eitie societies. They have no influence over !
be general feeling Of India. The great bulk :
7 tie natives Listen TO them as Dame Glen 4
snning I'D TO S Pierce Sasfton. But the
alive lawyers and interpreters sad taKzsath- l
re are a very diferent-a more practical, in 7
and unscupulo0s set Of men. {
Our object IN these remarks is to poirt out ?
ow al civil authority may be, aud most like !
: has been, psralyzed BY the military nuiiuy !
Bengal.
-. C.-- ~crreoror1o-f ~ ~.