The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-07
WHOSE WAR Is IT?
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION FOR THE ENGLISH
PARLIAMENT-sHALL INDIA OR ENGLAND PAY
FOR THRAsHING sHERE ALI?

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION FOR THE ENGLISH
PARLIAMENT-sHALL INDIA OR ENGLAND PAY
FOR THRAsHING sHERE ALI?
From the Pail Mall Gazette
The obligation for assembling Parliament is i'm
posed by very peculiar provision OF the statute OF
1858 III and % Vic, cap. 1867, which transferred
the government of India from the East India Com
pany to the Crown Two clauses of this statute have
been repeatedly quoted, but not, think. with any
distinct appreciation Of their purpose Of the func
tons which they impose upon Parliament.
Tho fifty -fourth clause directs that when any
order for the "actual commencement OF
hostilities by Her Majesty's forces in India
is sent to that country both houses Of Parliament
to be informed Of it within three months if Par
lament is sitting and if Parliament is not sitting at
the expiration Of this period then within one month
after its next meeting. These long intervals of time
SAVIOR Of the great distance by which India
moved from in 1855. and deprive this statutory
requirement of nearly oil its practical importance.
Indeed if it be true that the English Cabinet instead
of expressly ordering the viceroy to begin hostiites
against the ANGER Of Cabul, merely laid the rens
Lord Lytton's neck, it may be questioned whether
the provision has any technical application to
the case; although Of course the general constitu
tional duty OF the Queens advisers to inform Far
lament promptly of any critical event affecting the
fortunes of the country imperative as ever The
really important and closely relevant clause Of the
statute OF 1883 is the fifty fifth which provides that
except for preventing repelling invasion,
'.under other sudden and urgent necessity,
the consent Of both Houses Of Parliament must be
obtained before any part of the revenues OF
India be applied to defray the expenses Of any
military operation beyond the frontiers of India.
There can be no rational doubt that this provision
governs the present case, and. indeed it may be
strongly suspected that both this clause and the
clause preceding 1t contain tacit reference to the
first Afghan war. which is known to have been COM
menced on an express order given by the British
cabinet Of the day to Lord Auckland, and to have
been paid for by the East India Company.
DID BEAcoNsFIELD ORDER WAR?
when the meaning and point t Of the provisions is
appreciated IT almost ceases to be necessary
to show how wide of the mark have been the sug-
gestons of Some of our contemporaries as to the
distribution OF the cost of this war between the
English and Indian exchequers The principal Lon
don journal contends that the payment of any
portion of the expenses from English funds
IL pure question Of grace and liberal
ity. India was primarily liable; but If the
English Chancellor Of the Exchequer particularly
flush Of money he might perhaps spare something
out Of pity for al impoverished dependency. Nothing
can be faser than such reasoning. A great variety
Of considerations will have to be presented to the
mind of Parliament before such question can be
satisfactorily decided The extreme poverty of the
people of India the recent notorious distresses Of
Indian finance win be legtimately urged on the at
tenton of the noblemen and gentlemen who on this
particular occasion will be acting as an Indian
Legislature. and the members Of the House
of Commons in particular will not. we
hope, be suffered TO forget that If they
vote this money they will dispose of ii subject to
such moral restrictions ordinarily control their
sent expenditure, but WILL in point of fact be d.
recting taxation irrespectiNey of representation.
But. after ALL the great governing question is the
ilrepressibe question Of imperialism. Is this really
an Indian war; Does the necessity for arise the
south on the north of the Hmalayas and the Hin
doc Koosh? Is IL the English Foreign Office or the
Foreign Office ut Simla which has at stake in the
endeayor to bring Shere Ali to reason?