The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-03

at all events, the English people were pre-
pared to sanction IN act Of their Prime Min
lister which associated national capital with
n private commercial enterprise, and thus
committed them to the perpetual maintc-
nance Of close communications with their
| Eastern empire. Obviously, the time was
now ripe for the last step in the process Of
| identification. by the formal recognition of
| India as coordinate member of the United
| Kingdom. and the blazoning of its name in
| the official style and title of the sovereign
| a matter trivial enough TO philosophers. yet
Of subtle and far-rcaching import in its Of
feet upon the mass Of mon.
The authority Of Great Britain in her now
consolidated, loyal, and solcmnly recognized
Empire Of the Indies is visibly represented
by 10000 English troops, which compose,
however. but the nucleus Of vast military
force. To these must be added $4,000 native
soldiers. perfectly equipped with European
wen mons and thoroughly drilled 10y English
officers. This ia the volume Of the army in
time of peace, hut it is not generally known
that the system admits Of swift and largo
expansion. that a codre or framework exists
adequate To the embodiment Of 100000 men.
would be- mainly recruited among those fifty
millions OF England Mohammcdan subjects
who constitute the bone and sinc,;of India
and liii the place once occupied hy the war
nor cnstc in the old Brahmanical sncinl svs-
tenn. The military valuc Of those troops
wgs attost.l in the terrible SrlOy rebellion
Of 1867. and it has since been ahundmtlv
confirmed in tine campaign directed by Lord
NArirR 81 MagdalAh against the King of
Abyssnia. 1t appears. then. that after de-
ducliuE .hc British regiments and onc-siNth
ul thc native force for the protection OF her
Asiatic possessions. England could still dis
pose Of no, less than half million Moham-
mcAan soldiers should She determine to
supper. the sultan. In this instance the
Emnrc~s Il India might rely with SO much
more confidence ON her Moslcm troops that
/ thc present contest wears in their ewes the
aancct Of q religious war, in which, by the
letter of the Koran, enforced by the sum-
mons Of the Shcih-ul-lsldm, all the faithful
are bound TO serve.
II remains TO note in what way anil with
what speed the Anglo-Indian army could be-
transported upon the theatre Of war. 10
reach Turkey the troops would doubtless
| take two routes. both maritime. The ono.
some ejytoon hundred roilns lone loads from,
Bombay by way Of tho Persian gulf 10 the
common mouth ~ the In. hratcs and riglis.
a.d is regularly traycrscd by steamers
making twelve knots an hour, in about six
days. The second route thirtv-sovcn hum
drcd miles u length. also starts from Bonn
hay. threads the Strait of Alden and pn-scs
10y the Red sen, Suez canal. and Mcditcr-
lanean to Sal1nca and Cons,antnoplc The
transit requires fourteen DAYS. and Wa may
here remark that the voyage of the Scraps
hns just proved that the canal L. navigahlc
10y transports of the largest Size. one other
point: England already has available in
Indian waters q fleet 81 sovcnt v-ilvc great
steamers. each capable Of carrying a thou
saAd mon, Of which third are now plying
ON the line from Bombay to the Euphrato..
and two-third- from Bombayto Sucz Bear
ing those facts in mind and allowing time
for going and coming. for coalins. EMBARK
ins and di-embarking We cannot doubt
that the Auslo-lndian Government might
Mtf hin inlt.Alu Iuvl tir..tv n, IIl imam init,