The evening times., 1898-08-05
Photographic Supplies.
CLOUDS IN INDIA.
Signs of n Coming storm and the
Mcaaurea AEaInat Ii

Signs Oh q SOminE storm and the
Measures Against It..
The British administration in India.
while remarkably successful as a whole.
is troubled by almost periodical outbreaks
on the part of the natives of certain dis
trfcts. The most trivial cause may lead
to costly revolt. 1t was a rumor that
hogs fat had been used in making car
tridges. which the sepoys had to tear
with their teeth. that led to the great
mutiny. The last mail from India brings
news of great activity in the arsenals
and at the military centers in evident pre-
paration for an expected campaign. The
feeling in the Upper Punjah is said to be
that a storm is brewing on the frontier.
the bazaars are full of rumors and the
government is taking measures to face
any emergency. whether in ajaur and
the Swat Valley toward Chitral in the
north. or in the Tochi Valley on the
west. toward central Afghanistan. The
theft of arms from the frontier posts has
begun again, as before the Tirah cam
paiSn. and at one station a sentry has
been murdered for his rifle and ammuni-
tion without any clue to the perpetrators
being discovered. The political unrest
among the natives consequent on these
rumors and happenings was increasing
and causing much anxiety TO the gov
ernment officials and administration
From Cabul it was reported that the
arsenal there was busy turning out field
guns. rifles. and cartridges for the Afghan
army, which is being brought to a fair
state OF efficiency. The greatest conf
dence is said to be entertained at Simla
in the loyalty of the Ameer Abdurrah-
man Khan to the British government. and
his cooperation with the British army
In case of a war beyond the Indian from
tier is regarded as assured. Acting under
pressure from the British government.
the Shah of Persia has prohibited ali
traffic In arms along the coast of the
Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, the
OBJECT being to prevent the modern rifles
that have been exported of late in consid-
cradle quantities from Birmingham in
England to that part of Asia, finding their
way across Persia and through Afghan
territory into the hands of the Indian
frontier tribes.
The most important event connecta5
with the internal affairs of India IA the
announcement of the sentence ON the
British soldiers concerned in the murder
OF DR.. Suresh ChUnder at Barrackpore-
Calcutta They were found guilty OF in
ficting grievous bodily injury and sem
fenced to seven years Imprisonment.
The British military authorities have
also taken steps to prevent the indis-
crfminate issue of shooting passes to pri-
vate soldiers. the privilege having been
considered abused, and in some instances
conflicts having arisen between the mill
tary and villagers, in which some of the
latter lost their lives. In future officers
issuing shooting passes will be held re-
sponsible for their abuse. While these
measures have given a certain degree OF
satisfaction. the question of increased
taxation required to meet the ever-grow-
ing debt and expenditure of India is caus-
ing much agitation in native circles. as IL
has become apparent that the borrowing
OF money to meet current expenditure
cannot go on indefinitely.