The Hawaiian gazette., 1875-12-15
INC IsoyaI Visif 1o India.

The significance of the visit of the Prince Of
Wales to India is great, whether its bearing
upon the English Government, or the Indian
people, is regarded In its broadcast aspect il
is a recognition, by England, of the fact that
her position in India is less secure than she
would like it to be, and that there is an urgent
necessity for the Introduction of some extra
neous influence, to restore the declining loyal
ty of the heterogeneous population under her
rule in the East. The Prince of Wales goes
to India as the heir to the British Empire. In
that character he is to make the tour of the
among the native princes, and endeavor, by
! gifts, and batteries, and attentions, to reani-
mate the fainting fealty of Queen Yictoria's
Oriental vassals. There is no doubt, another
way by which this end might be attained, and
it is the way which England might have
preferred half a century ago. When loyalty
is weak among the Indian rajahs, the judicious
proximity of an imposing military force has
frequently had the effect of strengthening it ::
and this method has been more effective since,
in subjugating the warlike Mahrattas, Eng
land showed that there was no native element
capable of coping with her in the field. 1t
may be said that the stern and swift suppress
sion of the Mutiny in 1857 ought to have set
tied the question of supremacy for century
or so. Perhaps it would have done SO with
any other kind of people, but the natives of
India are for the most part fatalists, and
prophecy, whether genuine or forged, has
more influence over them at any time than the
most weighty considerations drawn from prac-
teal experience. 1t is probable that Russia's
steady advance in Central Asia has had some
thing to do with the restlessness which, dur
ing the past four or five years, has marked the
condition of the petty rulers of India. The
Oriental mind is quite capable oe resting con-
tent IN even ablect submission to superior
force; but when a second force comes into the
field, and promises competition with the first,
1t is often prone, like Providence, to espouse
the cause of the heaviest battalions. recog-
milton of this tendency has caused the best au-
thorities on Indian affairs to view the move
ments of Russia with far deeper uneasiness
than the outside facts might seem to justify;
for they have Gle arly perceived that in the
event of a collision between England and her 1
northern rival, and with an even temporary re-
verse to the former, half the region between the
borders of Afghanistan and the Indian Ocean
might rise in revolt. As preventive meas
ure, therefore, this royal journey has been de-
cided upon; and it may be said in answer to
every objection raised on the score of expendi- !
ture, that the outlay, whatever it may be, re-
presents an economy to the extent of the diff |
ference between the sum total and the cost of |
sending and maintaining an additional Indian
army. Whether the Prince visit viii be pro-
ductive of as permanent and salutary effects as
might be anticipated from a great military
remains to be seen. But the
step is distinctly one in the line of precaution,
md, on the whole, it is probably a'judicious
'hoice between evils which could not be
,vaded. Union.