Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-10-23
From the London Times, Oct z.
AffnlHR.


Iy wishes to know what is thought ana eC at one emu
If the wire or other line of communication, Whe war
RACES or conspiracy threatens at tne oe Dut he Dare
acts once announced there is not much to satisfy lmpa-
n in the snecuations the rumOrs or the gossip even
~ tho very seat of government. Many tourist has
end that at Geneva Berne he to all practical
nrnoses no nearer the Alps than in Whitehall or Cheap
Eide and it would if people were no nearer Dei-
hi and Lucknow at Bombay and Calcutta, than we are
at home Their con lectures are little less WIG lhey
seem almost equally condemned to be ldle oyStahueis'
when every feeling would prompt the qucketS ana hlos
vigorous interference AnglO-lndlan OPINION however
has evidently entered stage though one not Will
ont nrecedent Some of the finer, more SUBTLE and more
ortring questions that occupied 1t at hrs nave no"
answered themselves. OF seventy regiments not enc Is
now left to foster the fond illusion OF Its hdety u ue
bonnv moment for the bullet the tuwar TO 90 us
Irn;;rtnpd work Not mess remains to be butchered
string or q colonel to be rudey interrupted While Writ
inc to the General letter full of happy aSsur-
ances Few stations remain to be burnt, and le" treas
rries to be "looted" The death of many hundred OH
GERS civil and military, in batd, more generally by
the hand of the assassin and the OF as many
women and children has gone far to exhaust the fund OF
nrivae socitudes 1t is true that there are stations
dotted about of which little is known but the mind
,yearies of repetition. Lucknow would be only Gavin
more on somewhat larger SCALE and should the injection
which has now reached the Bombay and Madras armies
infect the whole of the dark flock and lead to equal afro
cities no numbers, magnitude would make up for the
want of novelty. So opinion has passed INTO the
hard calculating military stage. The residents at Cal
cutta can look forward to the approaching campagn-
The real war; according to Indian notions, has not yet
bequn 1t must begin in September and end in May,
after which month it taken for granted that not
shot will be fired. Passing then, the preliminary
horrors Indian politicians evidently satisfied with
the prospects of the war They think that shall have
succession of triumph and that next spring will find
us holding India with stronger grasp than we ever did
before Strangely enough this conviction betrays itself
at the very time that the arrival Of the English mail
brings what seems there immense undertaking of the
mutiny. We believe that this point they are mSta
ken The statements and estimates made, i'll or out of
Parliament to the best of recollection simply reec-
ted from time to time the latest news from India. 1t
was nObOdys business here to anticipate than was
known and renOrcementS despatched if not quite
as expeditiOusy if the worst had been known,
pedtousy anything is done in this country.
The military estimate then, taken at Calcutta looks
rather to the reserve than to the forces engaged and
rather to the surrounding country than to the actual seat
Of war Even the prospect Of reverses in the present
battlefield, and the interruption Of communications, docs
not to concern them much might be SuppOS-
ed. At Calcutta they safe. The arrival of the Chi
force the sight of the Shannon in their river, the
passage of several up the river and above ALL
the departure Of Captain Peel with 400 Brthsh sailors
and ten 68pOunders make them feel secure as do
at home. The arrival of Sir Colin Campbell COM
mander-inchef with real power replacing Sir P Grant,
whO as an Indian officer, had responsibility without
power contributed to this comfortable feeling AT all
events the tide Of seemed to be rolling up the Can
ges and every wave Of would drive further inwards
the mutneerS of DinapOre who have created so much
alarm of Ranghur, the very borders of Bengal pro-
per; OF Dude, and the whole valley of the Gauges
Looking at the other extremity of the disturbed line the
state Of things at Delhi so encouraging that felt
OuSeves justified in calling the other day the bright
spot in our Indian prospects but at Calcutta they were
more sangulne, and fully expected, the 23d of
August that the assault had already taken place when
it supposed the mutineers would be dispersed and
large part Of the beSegng force would be available for
the relief of the Lucknow and the conquest of Dude
The tables had far been turned the muneers that
time was in our favor Every week adding several
thousands to force and the idea of Sikh invasion
of HindOstan under the British flag popular in
the Punab that there appeared to be no limits to the
accession of strength from that quarter In Delhi all
confusion, disSenson, deSerhon want OF powder,
percussion caps, money men, and food. The king was
uncomfortable in his quarters, artillery having
found his majeSty's range. The Mahommedans and
HindOos were quareng for the of the water tanks
All was greatly discouraged by the uniform defeat Of
the recent sortes In this extremity the question was
whittier to go-whether to consult discretion by going
down the Delhi side of the Sumna, to take the more
vaOrOus of crossing the river by the bridge Of
boats and making for Dude In either it would be
strange if did not follow them up, and indict that
ChaStlSement which they avoid under the shelter OF
walls and streets As far be inferred from the
description of camp before Delhi, and the bodies Of
reguars hOcking to aid from the Pun ab Cashmere
kumaOn, and Nepaul, much better prepared fO1
open warfare than the garrison OF Delhi with no other
tower of strength than their q" Kings name"
The probability is that the desperate and deeply
committed of the mutineers driven out of Delhi, woulc
in the direction of Dude. 1t is vain at this dis
lance and this day. to speculate the fate OF Lucknow
which, be it we'll or ILL., is thing of the past. Ever
at Calcutta they had had no direct and certain
the garrison with its precious and he'll css charge for
whole month 1t supposed that General Outran
would attempt to relieve the place by going up the 20
gra or the GOOmtee which might be a necessary change
Of route but to show the time required for thu
task But, whatever the result there will then be sim
ply two armies in the field Agra, at least we ASSUME
to be sae as it is no longer mentioned with anxiety
and said not even to be invested Certain points,
Aahabad, will then be held for military purposes
but otherwise it will be simple, ordinary case OF tw
armies in the field depending for success on their spirit
their numbers, reinforcements supplies and the gooC
will of the population We feel no question that III a
these points, except, possibly, the numbers actual
brought into action, have the best of it. We have
the chief conditions of success 1t will be Ound-ndeed
has already been found-that we have said from tn
first, this is not rebellion, an insurrectOn 1t
only mutiny Notwithstanding certain tlunts at on
want OF preScenCe or want OF capacity to cOmpreheH
the fact this is only military revolt, inspired by thos
and motives that prevail most with the mltar
ACKNOWLEDGMENT love of plumber and genera
license, pure restesSneSs-ina word, all those feeling
that have rendered India of troubles for these
centuries The mischief is almost confined to the soldiers
unless it be accession of credit and strength to the
cause that the criminals they release from the gaos
the utfanS of every town held them to plumber an
destroy But on the whole with rare and accountab
exceptions the people in favor, and as the wa
proceeds will be more and more. Every day tn
war Will be confined to still closer compass, and wit
Bengal the subHimalayan countries, the Punab, an
central India side, shall crush the mutny we fu
expect before next summer.
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