Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-08-08
-r From the Philadelphia Press.]
ENGLAND AND HINDOSTAN.

army had occurred, and that the continuance, the
very existence Of British sway in Hindostan was IN
imminent peril Pithily, but forciby enough, Gid
London journal thus describe the crisis -" Our
house in India is on fire. We are not insured. 10
lose that house would be to lose power, prestige,
and character-to descend in the rank of nations
| and take q position more in accordance with our
size on the map of Europe than with the greatness
of our past glory and present ambition. The fire
must be extinguished at any cost. All ordinary
considerations give way before the greatness and
suddenness of the danger" Another journal, argu-
ing that British troops should be sent to India
without delay-by the overland route, if necessary
adds: 1t will be time to inquire into the causes
of the mutiny by-and-bye; do not speculate how
fire originated, when the question is where to ,un
for the tire-engines; at all events, We procure the
fire engines first"
Let US state the facts as far they have been
communicated to the British nation for it is the
principle and practice of the British Government to
keep back information, when its being made known
would inconvenience the Executive So constantly
and consistently is this system of half confidence
kept up, that official dispatches, political or militia
ry, are usual two fold-one story, with unpalatable
and unpopular facts glazed over, to throw dus. in
the eyes Of the people, and the other for the private
instruction of the Cabinet, stating the case in more
truthful terms. Sometimes, when such sly,
double dealing person as Palmerston is at the head
of affairs, there is third and "most private" des
patch for his own particular perusal.
Last May, two regiments of native infantry (Se-
poys) were disbanded for INSTRUMENTATION. Soon
after, another regiment quartered at Lucknow, re-
fused to description of cartridges served
out to them-declarng that pig grease the touch of
which was prohibited by their stringent rules of
caste, used in making the cartridge paper. This
corps left the parade ground in body, carrying
their muskets with Them but Sir Henry Lawrence,
the British officer commanding the district turned
battery of artillery against the muneers, compelled
them to lay down their arms, and confined them to
their quarters dsarmed and incapable Of mischief.
At Meerut and other places the Sepoys also refused
to receive the cartridges The first company who
4 showed this INSTRUMENTATION were dismissed on the
spot, and handed their arrears of pay. This was,
in truth, rather an encouragement The authorities
saw their error, and when another company turned
out, arrested and placed them in DURANGO vile. A
few days after this general revolt took place. The
barracks were set tire to. The wives and children
of European soldiers were massacred. The Euro
pean officers were shot down. Before any step
could be taken by the authorities, dozen native
regiments artillery, cavalry, infantry, and sappers
j and mners-were in rapid march for Delhi. Ar
irving there the next day. and encamping out of the
city, they induced three regiments of native infant
4 ry, and one of artillery, to turn out and murder
4 their European officers few of these escaped,
but the rest with their wives and daughters,
slain. The insurgents then entered Delhi, murder
ing every European within reach, Selling the bank
and its treasure, and would have occupied the
nal and magazine if British officer, loyal and self
sacrificing, had not blown them both up, perillng
his own life by the explosion
The mutineers next proceeded to proclaim the
son of the late Mogul Emperor, King and Lord of
1ndia-it would seem against his will-for it
from a communication made by him that the British
authorities Agra first heard of what had occurred
Immediate steps were taken to crush the revolt
British troops were collected from all quarters with.
. in reach. Several of the native princes promised
their aid to the British and appear to have acted
e. ,k;o1 l.
Meerut and Delhi districts In order to dispel the
2 prevalent idea that the Government contemplated
the conversion of the natives to Christianity notice
was given disavowing any such purpose. At the
date of the latest despaches the British troops ION
June 81 had encountered the rebels outside the walls
Of Delhi, driven them back into the city, taken
twenty guns from them, occupied all the heights
outside Delhi and were prepared or preparing to
besiege that place. General Arson, commander.in-
chief had dieo of cholera, and was succeeded pro
tenn. by Sir Henry Somerset. As many as 10000
4 native soldiers had turned against the English. The
disaffection spreading, but chiefly confined
: to the military. At Lahore. one-half the native
: troops had deserted the British flag In Dude and
the Punjaub the Sepoys continued loyal In the
Bengal army, eight regiments had mutinied in a
4 month, and two had been disbanded. At Calcutta,
the seat of Government in British India, every
a precauton had been taken against an anticipated
attack
To put down this revolt, the troops, returning to
Bombay and Madras from the Persian war; were
81 directed to proceed at once to Calcutta Cavalry
Il from Bombay had been ordered to Agra. Every
regiment that can be spared from Great Britain and
q the Colonies had been ordered to India. But here
arises the difficulty. 1t took five weeks with
Geographic aid to obtain intelligence of this nsur.
recton from Calcutta it would take, at the shortest,
fortnight to prepare each regiment in England for
embsrkation for Indian service; and, even with all
the lads and appliances to boot +" of the overland
: route (across Egypt and down the Red Seal occupy
q six weeks more to convey the troops to Calcutta.
= Here, then is interval of thirteen weeks at the
= very shortest, between the massacre at Delhi and
y the arrival in India of strong force from England
$ But the shortest and quickest mode of transporting
i l4OOO from England to Bengal was not to be
= adopted The "Circumocution Office" would not
81 send them overland, but would take them by long
( voyage round the Cape of Good Hope, which
= would occupy seventy days, while by the overland
route it would take only forty. This would make
four months from the outbreak to the arrival of the
8 troops to que it. Within these four months Hin
! dostan may forever be lost to England.
u Such the circumstances of this Instruction
i What the consequences may be we can only surmse
81 yet. But believing that Providence carries out
the principle of retribution with nations with in
: dividuals, and knowing with what pertinacity Of
misgovernment what constant ingenuity Of msrule
: what utter contempt for even the seeming of hu.
: mainly and justice England has crushed India to
8 the dust, we arrive only at one strong conviction
that the period has arrived when British sway in
= Hindostan will be met by hands with swords ir
them 1t is allowed, in the philosophy of politics
? to judge of the future by the past and we know
that the great empires Of the world fall-fall sud
denly. fall dsgracefuy, fall unlamented-after they
: reach the summit of renown, dominion, riches and
: pride. England seems to have reached her culmi
mating point-from that, the path is down hill
l. Our MINISTER AT PARIs-The Paris correspondent
: of the London Court Journal writes as follows:
"Hs Excelency Plenipotentiary Mason, having
been reprimended for throwing his arm round thu