Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-10


score Of others. which makes the move
ment OF an East Indian regiment as
some one has said, resemble tribe OF
people emigrating under escort OF o
militars guard.
II Is this vast army Of non-com-
batants, which, especially in former
years. made up the enormous trains
necessary in moving accrps IN the held.
The numbers seem incredible when
looked at in the light Of
EUROPEAN OR AMERICAN MILITARY
IDEAS.
In 1878 an expedition Of 5000 native
troops and l03 European officers had
no less than $1,000 camp-followers.
The old Bengal Scpoy could not do
many things, by reason Of his caste
prejudices, which other troops might
do and so be, though private soldier,
moved practically with train Of SER
wants. Even when death stared him in
the face, and it was necessary for
very life to throw up entrench-
ments, the proud Brahmin 20
fused TO contaminate himself with
handling a spade;' while the ground
on which he prepared his food must be
swept clean, and the footsteps OF an
other--even his superior British OH
cer-would pollutc it, and necessltste
further sweeping. His food could not
he handled by any other than his own
caste without pollution, and as for eat
ing, many have starved rather than &C
cept food from those Of inferior caste
TO themselves. Yet even with such
prejudices, the old Bengal Sepoy
did his duty bravely; OCCASION
ally exhibiting devotion and
fidelity almost Incredible. In the
first Scindc war a regiment OF Sc
poys, suffering from privation equally
with their white comrades, offered to
giverup their slender allowance of meat
TO the white troops, and be content
with the water in which it was boiled.
They could do this only by boiling the
white mems meat and their own to-
gether, for they could accept no food
from the English soldier. Similarly,
in the same campaign, they content
ed themselves with the water in
which their rice had been boiled,
while they gave the grain to the
old Cheshire Cats" or " Two-TwoS,"
with whom they were in company.
The Sepoy Of certain caste could
not cross the sea without losing his po-
sition. On parade or in the field he
would obey the orders of native Off
Ger Of lower caste than himself, but
il was common thing to see the same
captain or sergeant literally PROSTATE
himself in the dust before the high
caste private he had ordered about in
the line Of duty a short time before.
Much of this, which seems so fatal
to military discipline, was
KILLED BY THE MUTINY OF 1891.
Yet in a modified degree it still retains
its force, and caste and religious differ
ences have to be considered in the make
up Of Sepoy regiment to-day, espe-
cially in Bengal, where the heightened
Brahmin. shouldering his musket for a
stipend Of "twelve cents day and find
himself" looks with proud contempt
on the Viceroy Of India as one the
touch Of whose hand would make him
ceremoDially unclean.
The Punjaubees, Ghorkas, and Sikhs
have none of this to impede them.
They act with the freedom and bravery
of European soldiers" will go any
where and do anything" and have as
little conjunction in riding down the
Bengal Sepoy as they would in exter-
minating breed of rats. This diver
sity and animosity is the salvation of
the English, who, despite the alarm
lists, can afford to laugh at organized
resistance to their rule in India, in the
face Of the diSintegration wrought by
religious and caste preiudices.
Russia has had no such difficulties to
encounter. Caste" troubles no one
but the officers. and these very little.
A Russian officer, though generally
credited with being brutal, is mostly on
good terms with his men, and far nearer
to them in sympathy than the English
officer, who is required to keep strictly
apart from the privates, except on mil
itary duty, and can, however kind he
may wish to be, only show it in sort
of patronizing and condesccndine
way. Much Of this exclusive
ness disappears in active service, Of
course, where mutual danger tends to
break it down, yet it is according to the
rule of service. The Russian law Is
less rigid, and there may be positive
affection cultivated between a captain
and his company, which frequently finds
expression in an afectionate soubriquet
In an English regiment it would be q
malicious or slyly whispered nickname
never finding expression save in privacy
The Russian officers, too, are credited
with easily assimilating with conquered
nations, respecting their prejudices and
easily winning their affections, in spite
Of the frequent use Of the stick. If h'
considers himself the superior of thu
people he at least is not apt to often
siyely assert his superiority. An Eng
lish officer in India, aud especially 1
young one, is apt to be very naughty IL
his dealings with the "nggers. mig
GERS" as the expression was at on'
time used nearer home--the natives o
India are not. The resentful feeling
engendered in a high-caste Brahmin by
a young sprig fresh from Sandhurst Col
leee is source of positive danger t
English rule in India. The private Sc
poy of high caste is sensitive being
The English officer is alss sensitive, but
he rarely credits the "nigger" will
any such feelings. Older officers rarely
make this mistake, but they fail to b
able TO undo the mischief caused by th'
inexperienced subalterns.
What disaflectiOn exists in India to
day largely springs from this source
Vsmbery says that many natives -mel
who have no superiors among their En-
elish masters--ksow and apprecat,
the difference between the Russian anC
English methods, aud since Providenc,
appears 10 have destined them TO b.
r