The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-05-14
EAST INDIAN SPECTACLE.
Review of 40, 900 Soldiers OF the British
Army mt DeIhi-England's Hint to Rus
Delhi Letter to n. Y. Tribune.

campthis year was ut Delhi, andneV-
er before had operations been upon so
large a scale. Two forces, the North
ern and Southern, were enCamped
about the city, and for ten days be-
fore the review manouvres of all sorts
had been taking place. Representa-
tives OF all the Powers had been invit-
ed to be present, and the foreign Off
GERS camp was the great social centre.
France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Rus
STA and Austria were all represented
by one or more officers, and the Unit
ed States in Colonel Lazelle and Capt.
Mills had two Of the most popular
men in the camp. The idea OF having
the Camp OF Exercise on such q large
scale this year was a political one,
originated by the Russian OF
last spring; it was intended to show
to the natives of India that this large
force could be brought together with
out weakening seriously any canton
ment in the country.
AS the troops marched up they took
their position in a long line facing the
flagstaff but at least q half mile away.
Tn. line when Lord Dutferin arrived
and rode down for the inspection
must have been fully two miles long.
There were between $4,000 and 49,
900 men III all-English and native,
from the troops Of Madras to the
GOOrkhasf from thetrOntier. Here and
there it would seem as If a gap were
left in the line; but it vas only a regi-
ment in working dress of kardee cloth,
the color of the dry grass-a color in
which they would be almost invisible
if living down. Lord Dutferin rode up
followed by his staff and the foreign
officers, and the battery fired asalute.
Almost with the first gun came the
rain, and for three long hours with one
or two intermissions OF a few minutes
it rained as it can rain only in India,
sheets and solid banks of water. The
Viceroy, dressed in a black frOCk-coat
with a single order on his breast, q
high silk hat and gray riding trousers,
was a conspicuous figure amid the red
and gold which surrounded him. He
kept his position through all the
hours of the march, but the degree Of
wetness which he reached ten minutes
after the rain started was as complete
asi if he had tried q swim in the Jumna
close by.
The marching of the English regi-
ments was superb in spite Of the con
dition of the ground. The mud after
the march was over was from eight to
ten inches deep and the clay of the
soil made it terribly sticky. The Lam
GERS and artillery were splendidly
mounted, and the Russian officers were
especially impressed by the horses.
The elephant batteries and the mule
artillery foryuse in the mountains on
the frontier were a novel sight to an
American. The huge elephants moved
along in their stately way, four at
tached to each gun and making light
of such work as dragging the heavy
weight through the thick mud. But
it was the native troops in which |
was the most interested. The Sikh
troops from the Punjab, the Bengal
Lancers and the Goorkha infantry
from the northern part of India were
fine bodies OF men. The Slkhs are tall,
magnifcent-looking fellows, and in
their blue Dr. brown uniforms were
every inch soldiers. About theturban
of each man was a thin steel circle,
sharpened to a razor's fineness; In the
old days they threw these with won
derful accuracy, cutting an inch stick
at fifty yards. At present they do
not make use of these knives but are
permitted to wear them to recall the
days when all northern India was in
their W These were the troops
that saved India in 1857-the regi-
ments which, raised by Lord Law
renee In the Puniab and sent on to
Delhi, brought about it's fall. The lit
tie Goorkhas / liked best.
The rain lasted until nearly the end
of the review, and it is not hardtoim-
agine the condition of the ground be-
fore it was over. Opposite where /
stood was perhaps the worst part of
the road, as a slight depression in the
ground made the mud deeper. OF
course it rendered good marching diff
ficult and for portion of the native
regiments impossible. Part of them
have the regulation ammunition boot,
but tAe majority have the native slip
per or moglai shoe, with the turnedu up
toe coming to a point and a slight ele-
walton OF the leather above the heel.
When they came to the thickest mud
q game shunt the slipper" was played
in dead earnest. They have to buy
their own shoes with their small pay,
and they can't afford to lose many
pairs. Of would come the slippers by
the dozen pairs, for they are without
fastening; then the lines would break,
the men rush back, some trying to get
into their foot-gear and Others pick
ing them up and marching on with
them in their hands. Of course good
order in marching was lost and many
Of the companies went to pieces.
Fortunately, Just before arriving at
tha aaIufing noint the ground was n