The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-03

,b.;y ofoers vero not In accordance with facts AND
they were thus prepared TO credit the fables tina,
the sedition- mongcrs so sodulously spread abroad
10 the effect that the Government they served
and the officers who commanded them had en-.
tered into a deliberate conspiracy to undermine
their religion
Notwithstanding all the evil influences brought
TO bear upon the native army, Lord Roberts dos
not think that the scpoys vould have proved
such ready instruments in the hands OF the civil
ian intriguers had that army been organized,
Disciplined and oficered In satisfactory manner
and had there been sufficient proportion OF Brit
ish troops in India at the time. To the great pro-
ponderance Of native compared with British
troops, our author attributes the fact that the
sepoys dared 10 break into open mutiny. He
points out moreover that the belief OF the natives
in the invincibility Of the British soldier, which
had formerly enabled small numbers Of Euro
pcans TO gain victories over large native armies
had been seriously weakened by the occurrences
which took place at Kabul during the first Afghan
war terminating in the disastrous retreat in the
winter Of 1S41-42 The extent TO which the native
army was augmented after the Battle Of Plassy,
especially in the Bengal Presidency, is often over
looked Our author directs attention TO the faca
that during the thirteen years preceding the
mutny the native army already numbering
217000 men and 178 gums, had been increased by
4U,UUU men anu Az RuuS, Willie Woe
made to the small British force Of $4,000 men I'M
I'll 1883, when one regiment was added to each
Presidency, or less than 5000 snldicrs in all
This insignificant augmentation was suhso-
quently more than neutralircd in spite OF the
warning uttered by Lord DaIhousio the GovernoF>
General, through the withdrawal Of six British
regiments from India TO meet the requirements a
the Crmean and Persian wars When the mutiny
broke out the whole effective British force in India
49,
native soldiers, the latter total not including the
bodies Of armed and trained police, the lnscars
attached TO the artillery as fighting men. Thoss
native auxiliaries amounted to many thousands
This disproportion Of force vns calculated To i'm
flame the minds Of the sepoys with most undo
sirable sense OF Independence, An army Of Ash
atcs such the Englishmen maintain in India
is faithful servant, but treacherous mastnrt
powerfully influenced by social and religious
preiudiccs in which Englishmen arc imperfectly
acquainted. it requires the most careful hsnd1ing1
above ell, it must never be allowed TO lose faith
in the prestige supremacy Of the governing
race When mercennries feel that they in
dspensable to the maintenance Of the authority
which they have no patriotic interest in uphold
ing they begin to consider whether il would noa
be more to their advantage to aid in overthruwfnS
that authority, and, II they decide that it would
be, they have little scruple In transferring their
allegiance from the government they never loved
and have ceased to fear To tho power more IN 40
cordance with their own ideas, and from which
they are easily persuaded they win obtain unlin-
tied benefits
III.
In reply to the question: SIS there any chance
Of mutiny occurring again" Lord Roberts formu-
lates the best way of guarding against such q
calamity. In the first place the present proportion
n
minished nor the discipline and efficiency Vt
the native army be permitted TO become -aaci:
In the second place, should be selected for tho
higher civil and military posts whose self
reliance, activity and resolution ore not i'm
paired by age, and who possess knowlc 20
Of the country and the habits Of the people. Th"n
again. the dogmatsm Of theorists and the dang re-
Of Capitalization should be recognized and guar ~
against Finally the British administration should
be rendered on the one hand firm and strong,
on the other tolerant and sympathetic, and every
thing in the power Of the government should De
done to gain the confidence Of the various races
and to convince them that the English have not
only the determination. but the ability TO maintain
their supremacy in India against all assalants
II these cardinal points are never lost sight OF.
there is in Lord Roberts's opinion. little chance
OF any fresh outbreak disturbing the stability
OF British rule in India, neutralzing the efforts
to render that country prosperous, contented
and thoroughly loyal to the British crown.
1t is in the last chapter Of this book that the
author discusses the question how to render the
army in India perfect a fighting machine
possible. To this problem he has given he tells US
the most anxious thought and has at all times,
directed his most earnest efforts to its solution
In his judgment the first step to be taken toward
this end was to substitute men Of the more war
like and hardy races for the Hindustani srpoys
Of Bengal, the Tams and TeaEus of Madras
and the called Mahrattas OF Bombay: but no
found it difficult to get his views accepted at al
cutta because Of the theory which prevailed that
II was necessary TO maintain an equilibrium
between the armies of the three Presidencies,
and because Of the ignorance prevalent in Eng
land with respect to the characteristics OF tho
different races, which encouraged the erroneous
belief that one native IL good anotherfor pur
poses of war. Lord Roberts comedies that in for
mer days, when the native army in India
much stronger in point Of UNI bers than the British
army, and there existed means Of rapid cum
municaton, ii was only prudent to guard against
a prcdominancc OF soldiers Of any creed nation
ality. With British troops, however, nearly
doubled, and the native army reduced nearly
third; with all the forts and arsenals protected
and nearly the whole Of the artillery manned
by British soldiers with railway and telegraph
communication from one end OF India to the other;
with the risk of internal trouble great diminished
and the possibility OF external complications
becoming daily more apparent, author
submits that the circumstances and requirements
arc completely altered, and that IL has become
essential to have in the ranks of the native army
men who may be confidently trusted to take their
share Of fighting against European foe. In
the British army. the superiority OF one regiment
over another Is mainly matter Of training; tho
same courage and military instinct inherent