The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-09-08
WHAT Is THE INDIAN MUTINY

themselves any thing like an exact notion
of what is implied by the words ''mutiny OF
the Bengal army?" We fear not; and we
will try to help them to form one.
British India has a superficial extent OF
upwards of 100000 square miles, with a
population of about 10000, 1000. The
native States adjoining to or surrounded
by the British territory may have a super
fetal extent of nearly 100000 square miles.
with population which falls little short of
OO,OOO,OOO. With the exception of Bur-
nah and Nepaul and one or two petty gov
ernments all these States have entered into
treaties with the British Government, by
which they have renounced the right of
self-defence and the right of maintaining
diplomatic relations with each other. But
none of them are forbidden and some of
them are required to maintain each separ-
ate military force. The aggregate military
forces of the native princes are little short
of 400, 900 men-an amount exceeding by
about 100000 the numerical strength of
the Anglo Indian army.
Of the 100000 square miles which we
have taken as the approximative superficial
extent of British India, about l36. 900 are
inclnded in the Presidency of Madras and
10000 in the Presidency of Bombay the
remaining 444,OO0 are subject, either medi
ately or Immediately, to the Presidency of
Bengal. And this immense extent of coun-
try is inhabited by population amounting
to nearly sO,OOO,OOO.
Of this territory our two most recent ac-
quisitions-the Punjaub and the kingdom
of Oude-form part. A number of small
native States are encldues within it. Nepaul
adjoins its northern and Burmah its south
ern frontier. The protected native States
of Scindiah and Holker are contiguous to
its southern frontier. Benares, the great
central of Brahminical organization and in
Auence, is situated iu nearly the centre of
this territory, which contains also Luck
now and Delhi, which, with Hyderabad in
the Deccan. may now be considered as
forming the three principal centres of
Mahommetan influence and agitation.
Now, throughout this immense territory
almost every regiment of the Bengal army
either is in open mutiny or viewed with
suspicion. Some regiments have been dis
banded some have been disarmed. The
soldiers Of the disbanded regiments have
returned mutinous and malcontent to their
homes. or are struggling in bands through
out the country. The soldiers of the
disarmed regiments are affronted and
irritatcd; some have deserted, others remain
moodily at their stations. Though several
regiments remain apparently faithful, it
must be kept in mind that among the mutt
neers are the men of several regiments
which for time made most specious dem
onstrations Of loyalty. At Delhi and
several other places the mutineers are
waging open war against the Anglo-Indian
Government.
We hear it repeated on all sides that the
insurrection is confined exclusively to the
army. Let US not deceive ourselves by
phrases. The army in India is not merely
a body organized for defence against foreign
aggression. 1t is the main, almost the sole
of internal civil government
Almost all the duties of police-such as
the suppression of robbers and the execution
of the DEGREES of the courts of Justice
devolve upon the soldiery. When treasure
is moved from one part of the country to
another. it is under escort of soldiers when
the civil officers travel it is with military
guard. When we say that the Bengal
army is nearly. if not entirely dissolved,
we say that the instrumentality by which
the civil Government carries out its behests
is destroyed; that all civil authority through
out the Bengal presidency and it's depen-
denotes is paralyzed.
This is not all. The Bengal army, with
the exception of few regiments of Ghoorkas
and Silihs, is recruited from the Hindoo and
Mussulman population. The Mussulmans
muster strongest % the cavalry, the Hindoos
in the infantry. The Hindoos are almost
exclusively Rajpoots or Brahmins. A large
proportion both of the Mussulmans and
Hindoos have been recruited in Dude, the
Sovereign of which has recently been de-
posed. 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 a state of af1uence
as compared with the great mass of the
village population. The soldiers of the
irregular corps may be regarded almost as
kind of minor gentry. Now, these men
have annual furloughs of considerable
length, during which they visit their re-
spective homes and play the part of men of
Importance among the villagers. There
are, also, scattered throughout the country,
old soldiers living in retirement. We
know from recent events, that, by means of
letters and messengers, the soldiers of the
different regiments keep up an active cor
respondence with each other; is it not
possible that they may also keep up cor
Al r. j