Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-03-07
0blo' 10. State(ss3InlIll.an. Il /.
FROM CALCUTTA.
lcorsspondsnce Of the Ohio st....m.n.l
CALCUTTA, Dec. goth, 1867.


II [Conespondence Of the Ohio Statesman.]
i CALCUTTA, Dec. goth, 1867.
j Large and important as our city is for
being the seat of the Anglo-Indian Gov
ernment, there are, but few topics which
the American reader is, apt to take a
lively interest in. Local matters occupy
the mind of the public, and speculation
is alive at present as to the probable fate
Of the Abysinian expedition, for which
India has furnished not ineonsiderable
contingent of native troops as well as of
for number of years. The northwest
ern frontier of this Empire is constantly
kept in excitement by instructions of
native tribes and by invasions from be-
yond the line;. they. raise considerable
discussion, particularly among military
men, who are generally in favor of rig
orous measures for the suppression of
minor revolts, while. the civil employees of
the Government generally agree with the
mercantile community in their opinion,
! that kind treatment and the observing
Of liberal policy towards the half civ
ilized tribes viii advance the interests of
Great Britain in preference to harsh
measures. s It should be remembered
that Russia is our nearest Northwestern
neighbor and the policy of the court of
St. Petersburg, is sufficiently well known
for putting this Government on their
guard against gradual invasion or
the establishment of permanent Russian
influence which, although it may not
bear prejudice to Great Britain for the
next decennium or two, may eventually
entangle us into complications with the
said power and even compel us to the nse
Of arms, for protecting or defending our
frontier. -rE7s ---7
Commercial matters do not give the
desired satisfaction. Imports have been
inadequately large as compared with the
consumption, and great efforts are
made by men of influence and knowl-
edge of European and Asiatic manufac-
ture to introduce cotton mills, and thus
to gradually dispense withthe import of
British goods, for which large proper
ton Of the raw material is furnished by
this country 1t is justly argued that
the cost of, transportation for the neces-
sary machinery would soon be balanced
by the saving of freight for the raw ma
terial to Europe and the reshipment, of
the same to India as manufactured ar
ticle. So far complaints are mutually
made by the Yorkshire and Manchester
manufacturers and cotton aspinners on
one side and the importers to Calcutta
and Bombay on the other. The former
complains of the quality of cotton sent
from India being in poor condition,
while the latter accuse the British manu-
facturers of throwing into the Indian
market a lot of cotton goods adulterated
with lime and other similar substances,
which cause the goods to decay during
the long voyage and thus become unsafe
able. -
Mr.. John Lawrance. Governer-G General
and Viceroy of India, has lately held
levee in the capital of the ancient king
dom of Dude, Lucknow, which has be-
come ever memorable for its seige dur.
ing the rebellion of 1857. These levees,
called durbars, are an imitation of the
receptions held by the Grand Mogul of
Delhi, for the purpose of receiving the
homage of distant princes of the empire
and Of having their oaths of fidelity re-
newed. They are kept-up for the pur
pose of exhibiting to the native element
the power of Great Britain over the In
dian feudatories, but none had been
held since the annexation of Dude to
the second conquest in 81. 1t is Diff
cult for anybody who has not witnessed
the festival to form an idea of all the
splendor exhibited. The Rajahs of
Dude had answered the appeal of the
Viceroy by appearing in large numbers
at the Capital with their elephants, SER
wants, jewels and all the ostentatious
elements of oriental luxury
Five hundred elephants, covered with |
blankets of gold, thread and silk, the
majority of them carrying on their backs
turrets of massive silver, made their en-
trance with the Rajahs and their fami. |
lies, clothed in the richest silk garments
and ornamented with bracelets, collars
and chains of diamonds, emeralds, ru-
bies and pearls. On the day of their
solemn entrance into the city the Vice
roy took the lead of the cortege, mounted
on an elephant of immense size. After
he had stopped on an elevated spot, the
Rajahs passed in review; he stood un-
dera parasol held above his head by two
servants. The parasol is the emblem of
the highest dignity in oriental countries,
and it is a curious fact that the parasol is
found on the bas-reliefs of Nineveh over
the head Of every pAssyrian King; this
Gu stom having thus not only preserved
itself for milleniums, but spread from
the shores of the Ganges to those of the
Tigris, for, there is little doubt but that
India was inhabited and civilized before
Assyria was-for westward did the course
of empire take its way at that remote