The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-06-26
From the \. y Journal Of Commerce.
THE arUTISY IN TIE EAST INDIA CoMPANYs
ARMY


ARMY
The outbreak Of mutiny among the native troops
Of the Fast India eompany's army in Bengal, which
led 10 the disbandment Of one regiment and the
severe punishment Of several soldiers in one OF two
Others is represented by the last overland mail to
be spreading through the country, and is regarded
with considerable alarm both in India and In England
The movement Is altogether confined to the Hndoos-
the Mohammedan soldiers taking no part In It, The first
Of the nsbordnaon was the nature of the grease
served out 10 the troops make their cartridges slip
easily down the barrels Of the new Enfield rifles with
which they armed, in place OF the old musket IL
appears that, contrary to the government order which
prescribes mutton fat to be employed to grease the cart
ridges the contractors used pigs buoes fat because
it cheaper and more easily procured; and that when
this became known it created the most intense eeling
both among the Mohammedans who have religious
horror of the pig and consider contact with il in any
shape pollution and the Hindoos who reverence the
bullock and consider the pronc Of its body as the
greatest possible sacrilegc The Mohammecians were
easily quoted but the Hndoos to be appeased
They conpred together for the seizure Of the deences
Calcutta and the treasure which is deposited there and
stroye to the religious anatics Of the Brah-
min population by telling them that bullocls fat was
used by express order OF the English for the purpose of
making them lose caste for having touched it, and then
compelling them to become converts to Christianity
Although the Indian government issued an order to dis
continue the Of the Objectionable grease and ordering
the substitution Of other compound which could
offend any Hindoo or Mohamnedan scrupIe the Sepoys
satisfied They then refused to touch the cart
ridge because they believed that the paper OF which it
made contained animal matter. At Barrackpore,
Meeru Lucknow, and Umballa the soldiers refused to
obey the orders Of their officers and in instances
went far as to assault them parade and by
IF
liko an epidemic northwards dcmoraIizing more or
less every garrison Of India The energetic and
being taken by the government TO
arrest the movement and punish the geades but it
feared that the cartridge is the pretext and not the
cause, of the Hndoo dsaecion The steps which have
been taken by order the East India Company to do
away with the mmolation of widows by the Sate the
slaughter of female infants, and other cruel religious
rights of the Hndoos to which they attach supersti-
tous Importance and the rapid growth Of European inn
provements and civilization throughout the country
causing the gradual extinction of Hndoo prejudces arc
supposed to have aroused the natc among the sepoys
to attempt to resist retard system Of national and
social improvement which they are cunning enough TO
see must ultimately prevail over their ignorance and
idolatry
In country like India where the dominant race is but
a mere handful of men compared to the millions of the
native population and where the main support Of the
rule of the foreign minority IL the sodiey taken the
native majority the consequence Of dsaecon and revolt
among those soldiers must necessarily be extremely dan.
gerous Hitherto, whenever discomfort rebellion show
ed itself in the ranks of the East India Companys army
has been easily suppressed because tho army being
composed of two antagonstic creeds the Mohannedan
and Hndoo, the members Of denomination have al
ways aided the government In furnishing and suppressing
the turbulence and sobedence OF the other and when
in the Of the santa rebellion in 1855 dispute
took place between the two rival religions the presence
Of the European troops prevented the native soldiers
from taking part in the rebellion. The present troubles
being confined altogether the Hinoo soldiers II ii
supposed that the mutiny will be suppressed and further
disasters prevented by the fidelity of the Mohaneda
troops in aid OF the European regiments and it is hoped
that the given by the that il
il the intention Of the government interfere with
the religious preiudcas o. the people but the contra
ry defend each sect in the undisturDed EXERCISE Of III
religion win calm the excitement Of the Hindoo popula
ton and prevent general outbreak in aid Of the disaf
fected troops.