Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-04-16

years Of $3.50, oO0, 900, aud this sudden addition
to the wealth OF the city engendered every form OF
speculation II people had reasoned they would
have known that, whatever way the war ended
whether the North or South won-the close would
have been the revival of the cotton crop and an
end of these false values. But the gambler never
reasons, and Bombay according to one of the
historians of the panic, believed that the genius
of Lee and the stubborn valor OF the soldiers
would make the war last for a longer time. A
good deal of this confidence was due to the tone
Of the London press on the American war, which,
when read now In the cold light of logical and
veritable events represents the lowest point ever
reached in the degradation of journalism. The
Bombay merchant read his English newspaper
and believed it, and continued to gamble. Banks
were stablished-shipping and iron companies,
financial associations land companies, reclaina-
ton schemes, railway companies, spinning and
weaving, companies In gas, coffee, cotton, oil and
brick. Six hundred per cent. was a fair return
for ones investments in those days, and suppose
no city in the world was so prosperous as Bombay
in 1865. II Lee and Grant had fought twenty
years campaign this might have continued. But
in the Spring OF 1865 telegram came announcing
that Lee had surrendered, and Bombay collapsed.
The companies went to the wall, firm of
Parsee merchants failed for S15,000,O00, and be-
fore the end OF the year there was not one COM
pany remaining Of the hundred which had arisen
during the war And all coming from telegram
which, in the afternoon Of April 0, 1865, General
Grant, sitting on stone by the waysde OF APP
pomatox wrote in pencil in his memorandum
book: "The army of Northern Virginia sur
rendered to me this afternoon. The year 1865 is
known as the year of panic, insanity and bank
ruptcy. have heard stories of that mad time
from many who were here and saw it. Those
days of mania were days of splendor for Bombay
in many ways, and it was pointed out that all the
magnificent buildings which strike your eye on
landing came from the men who were mad with
the cotton mania"
Next General Grant and his party are
taken to the temples of the Caves of Ele-
phanta, with their curious idols, which have
played such an important part in Hindoo
religious life. This was followed by a re-
ception at the Government House:
"on Monday the General was entertained in
state at the Government House at Maabar Point.
| Hon. James Gibbs, the member of the Council
who acted as Governor in the absence OF Sir
Richard Temple, presided and at the close of the
dinner the company offered the health OF the
| General In response the General referred TO the
| kindness he had received in India, which was
| only renewing the kindness shown him all over
| Europe, and which he accepted as an evidence OF
| the good will which really existed between Eng
lishmen and Americans, and which was to his
mind the best assurance of peace for all nations
| After dinner the General received large number
| of the native merchants and gentlemen Of Rom
| bay. 1t seemed odd to our American eyes thai
merchants and gentlemen should be asked tt
come in at the end OF feast and not to take part
| But this exclusion is their own wish. Many Of
these merchants and gentlemen belong to caste:
| who look on the food of Europeans as unclean
who believe in the sacredness of life and will mo-
eat animal food and who could not sit at thu
table with the General without losing caste. Thes'
men will meet you in business, will serve yon il
various ways, but their religion prevents thei
sharing your table. So the invitation to the ma
tives to meet the General was fixed at an hou
when dinner was over. They came in groups
IIindoos, Arabs Parsees native ofiicers-in uni
forms, in quaint flowing costumes As each ma
tive advanced he was presented to the Genera
with some word of history or compliment from
Mr. Gibbs. This Is So-and-So an eminent Brah
min scholar who stands high among our barris
ters or This is So-and-So Parsee merchant
who has done great deal OF good to Bombay an,
has been knighted for his services by the Queen
or, This is the Oldest Arab merchant; Or Thi
is gallant officer in our native cavalry or, 'Thi
is the leading diamond merchant in Bombay,
Hindoo gentleman, one Of the richest in India.
As each of them advanced 1t was with folde
hands, as in prayer, or salutng by touching tn
breast and brow in the submissive, graceful
bending way, so strange to our eyes. Here wer
men Of many races-the Parsee from Persia tn
Arab from Cairo, whose ancestors may have rid
den with Omar; the Brahmin of a holy caste, /
whose veins runs the stainless blood OF India
nobility, descendants of men who were priests an
rulers ages before England had risen from he
; clouds of barbarism. Between these races thel
is no love. II they do not like England they hat
one another Religious differences, tradition
memories of war and conquest, the unaccountab
antipathies of race which we have not eliminate
: from our civlization-all generate fierce an
S mostly which would break into flames once Il
. restraining hand were lifted. What Yields the
together is the power OF England, and as you loo
| at this picturesque group-their heads full eve
their fine Asatic type Of face, clear and well c,
j here assembled peacefully, you see the extel
e Of the empire to which they all owe allegianc
n and YOU admire the genius and courage viii,
n has brought them to submit to rule whic
whatever IL NAV have been in the past. gro,
u more and more bepefcent."
s. d.. r,,, ,t. ,,,ost ;n,aros,;no ;no;do
;, n'' p.,A"r' 'De u.s. ~. '''o' o'e ~. !:
8 III Ihe ietVer Is where 'le oo'io'Pouue"'
~ PRODUCES us to the General on the veran'
at Malabar Point, smoking the famili
9 cigar. and gazing at the ocean which CO
= nects him With the bome he mora and mo
i idolizes. and reminds him of the events oy
C. which he had such a vast control:
-" "I, WAS our last night in Bombay. and 40 ma
&c things were to be talked about, the English
- India and the strange romance of their govern
u, India 1t is in conversations such as these whit
Ill you meet gifted men, charged with great trus
is full Of their work and familiar with It, that ira