The morning call., 1893-07-16
\ COMING HERO.
Tales From the Hills of
Lord Roberts.
THE LOSS ON THE RUPEE.
Jottings From the Hawaiian Islands.
Americans Could Cut the GOrdian
Knot Once for All.


opened in London with all attendant
pageantry and splendor possible. Queen
Victoria there broke through what had
become almost an established rule and
took the leading part in what was great
function.
A short. notwithstanding man, with
almost snow-whte hair, was then a
central point of attraction. and had 1t
not been for the blazing decorations on MS
breast few foreigners would have picked
him out as one of the rare men who. un-
ostentatiously had done great work for
his country.
And vet the name of Lord Roberts is
name to conjure with wherever Engilsh-
men gather. Yesterday the Rev. Mantague
c. Sanders. who has been stationed as
ARMY chaplain at Umballa. on the north
west frontier of India, and is now en- route
to England, spoke at length Of the woTk
done by the commander ln-chle1 Oh Tie
Indian forces.
Until very few years ego. remarked
Mr.. Sanders, ''it was generally conceded
by army men and civilians; alike thae AT
sooner or later Russia would attempt 10
penetrate the northern passes and sweep
down upon India. The plan is part OF the
heritage handed down from Peter the
Great. To-day neither army man nor
civilian. who has made study OF the SUB
ject, could be found in India to give
any reason why Russia should now at
tempt what would of necessity prove
such disastrous piece of foohardiness.
This change has been brought about by
Lord Roberts. He began by reforming
the Indian army, 1t being now divided into
the first, second and third army corps, or
to approximately place them; one d.
vided among the northern provinces, one
in the center of India and the third hav
ing Muavas as its headquarters. This
done a plan for fOrtifying the northern
frontier was begun. There are really only
two passes through the mountain ranges
by which the fertile plains of India may
be reached. The Khyber pass, made use
of by and since the time OF Alexander the
Great. and the pass through the khopak
Amaran range. Both these are guarded
so heavily by Notifications that they may
almost be deemed impregnable. The rail-
road. too, has been built to within short
distance Of Candahar and hundreds of
tons of rails and other materials are stored
on the frontier in readiness TO push the
road forward if necessity should arise.
Indeed said the speaker, "it is quite
impossible. without going into detail, To
give a proper idea Of the really gigantic
work in this direction that has been done.
Suffice it 10 say that Lord Roberts has
narrowed the possibility Of attack on India
down to such a fine point that even the
railroad timetables have been prepared for
dispatching troops to the front, and all the
details OF the cOmmlssarlat department
have been perfected and are to-day in
perfect readiness for emergencies"
"HOw about the people of Iudia them
Selves?" was asked "Is it not possible
that they. 10 benefit themselves as they
might think. might raise the banner of re-
volt as soon as the white troops were en-
gagged elSewhere?
There is not the most remote chance of
such a thing occurring" was the reply.
The people of India are n OF homogeneous.
Jntro are about 800 dinorcnt fensuages
spoken and race jealousies keep the differ
ent peoples apart. Add to this the fact that
there is bitter enmity between the Moham-
medans and Hindoos. SO much so indeed
that the Government, during the feS-
tivals, have quite a busy time compelling
them to keep the peace. When the last
Russian scare took place. too. the independ-
ent states, without exception, placed their
troops at the disposal of the Government,
and since that time English officers have
drilled them until now they form highly
efficient army themselves.
1T would DE wrong" said Mr.. Sanders,
as he concluded speaking of army matters
in India, IF l did not say word regard
ing ine attitude of both English and native
troops toward Lord Roberts. When l was
stationed at Umballa there were 1000
troops, both English and native. Not only
there but throughout India he is regarded
by the men as their good genius. A rigid
disciplinarian. he yet sees that the needs
of the men are attended to. 1t is in he
field. however, that he has won the affec-
tion of the men. There he shared their
rough fare and asked them to do nothing
he was not prepared TO do himself. TO
crown all be has the dash and gallantry
that fire the Imagination and grasp vic
tory sometimes from what appears to be
defeat"
When Mr.. Sanders left India he of
course had no knowledge that the Indian
mint was about to be closed against silver.
According to his account, however. the
business Of the country was in a parlous
state owing to the depreciation Of the cur
rency.
about six years ago." remarked he,
"the rupee was worth l shilling and s
pence: when | left India its value was
quoted at l shilling and pence. Right
there may be seen the disappearance uf
course salaries were not Increased to COM
pensate for the depreciation. True, the
Government did receive the rupee at l
shilling and pence in certain cases, but
those were exec ptional instances. the vast
majority OF the people being unrelieved."
NOW tnat nave le1t lnQla on two
years furlough." added Mr.. Sanders,
quiet smile illuming his face, II needn't
care, for Pm on furlongh pay, and receive
it in English sterling"
At Honolulu Mr.. Sanders stopped over
a steamer to visit the volcano and "do"
the island sights. He is warm in his
praise of their beauty, but laments the
present stagnation in business there.
1T seems hard" he said, that trade
should be paralyZed, but as things are
Ca pitalists will not invest, and the outlook
when l left was not promising. Just to
show the feeling among the Americans
there l may cite the remark of friend.
He said: The present state OF things
can't last; if the United States Govern
ment won't take Us in, then We'll ask
Johnny Bull; if he won't have US, then
we'll appeal to the Mikado-anything
anything. rather than return to the olG
state of things
Now, of course" said Mr.. Sanders, "he
probably did not mean actually. word for
word. what he said, but it suffices to H.
lustrate the strong and determined feeling
down there. Meantime, the Provisional
Government is hard pressed for money to
carry on with. and." he added,s 81 lmust
confess that. from what l saw, | do not
wonder ct the general desire that the
United States should cut the Gordian knot