, 1885-05-16
Russia and the Mal1Omedans In
India.
To the Editor of the Times.

- IVY OAIJ VA GA0 VA
India has often been questioned, and Rus
sian writer's go so far as to disbelieve in it
altogether. One Russian author of an elabo-
rate plan for the invasion of India bases
their chance Of success on q simultaneous
rising against the present Government of
this country, and the Mahomedans are to
be in the front of the rebellion.
IN the Bombay Presidency, of which /
can speak with knowledge, there is the
strongest evidence that this Russian theory
is without the slightest foundation in fact.
The most important d%eputation that greet
ed Lord Dufferin on his arrival was from
the Mahomedan community, and the same
section has bid the warmes farewell to Sir
James FERGUSON, the retiring Governor of
Bombay. In both addresses the greatest
loyalty is shown to the British rule and
hearty gratitude takes the place of the
'cold acquiescence" with which the Mahome-
dams are charged. All this loyal talk may
of course, be lip homage. The distrustful
stoutly maintain hat it is nothing more.
The MahomedanS, they say, are always q
restless, disconnected element in the body
polite, ever holding the English as the
usurpers of their ancient Empire. Such
distrust is very hard to dissipate, facts
alone succeeding in convincing sceptics on
a point of such Importance, and therefore
call attention to three facts. The first fact
is that the whole of the native Press OF
India, MahOmedan as much as HindO0. has
now ceased to attack the Government and
steadily supports the rule of England, and
DerSiStently extOlS it as compared to that
Of Russia. The importance OF the native
Press is hardly realized i'll England. There
are l43 newspapers published III this
Presidency alone. Every town has its
organ now. The native journalists OF the
Madras presidency have publicly met and
unanimously agreed to use no language
that could at all injure the British Govern.
ment at this iuncture. Such a move ON the
part of the Press which in its freedom some
times oversteps the point where liberty de.
generates into licence is very significant.
The second fact is that the leading Mahome-
dan State, Hyderabad, the Nizam's terrific
nv. has offered q contingent for the Soudan
War, and the Nizam will attend with @
goodly show of troops at the great durDar
and military demonstration to be held I'M
mediateIy on the Punjah frontier. The
third fact is contained in a signed letter
publishedin to days Bombay Gazette, one OF
the two leading papers in the west OF India.
The letter was written by one ofthe lead
ing Mahomedans of India, Mr.. Mehdl Ali,
the political and financial secretary OF
the Nizam's Government It may be con.
sidered at this crisis as a manifesto of Ma
homedan opinion in India, and it lis not
only trimming over with loyalty, but it also
contains a most telling statement OF the
benefits of English rule as compared TO
any other possible government in India.
To any one who has realized the total ab.
sence in India of any real public opinion
formed by the people themselves such a
declaration will seem of the greatest impor-
lance. The masses take their opinions
ready made from their local leaders, men
in their turn Influenced by the real leaders,
who are numerically but a handful in the
millions of his country. / send the paper
in hopes you may 6ud space for the letter
itself. It must be remembered that in the
days of the Indian Mutiny the feeling in the
Nizam's territory was said ON excellent au.
thority to have been very ~hesitatlng be-
tween loyalty and rebellion, and the scale
was only turned by the personal influence
of that excellent friend to the English, the
late Sir Salar Jung. The change OF Sentl.
ment is a remarkable testimony to. the
growth of our popularity. 1t is also q
- - - I,o.~ ~ q n cc1n 10 f0Qran