The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-12

The fact is recalled by Col. Mackenzie on mage
PIG that 1t was some carabineers belonging TO
his regiment. the Third Bengal Light Cavalry.
which started the revolt at Meerut. They
set authority at defiance by refusing to use the
cartridges supplied to them on the ground that
they suspected the grease used in lubricatinp
them to have been composed OF hogs lard, We
are assured that this pretext was. on the face
OF 1t. absurd. since. as a matter OF fact, the cart
ridges had been made reRimentally and ali
the men perfectly well knew that SO innocent
a compound as beeswaI and clarified
butter had been used as a lubricant.
The word had. however. been passed
throughout the Bengal native army to make
the cartridge question the test as to which was
stronger. the native soldier or the Govern
ment. For n short time before tho mutinv
mysterious cuppatees. or fiat wheaton cakes.
had been circulated from regiment to reei-
ment. The message conveyed by them has
never been precisely fathomed by Englishmen.
Dut there can be no doubt that they were in
some way q signal. understood by the Sepovs.
OF warning to be In readiness for coming events
The commander OF the Third Light Cavalry
Col. Carmichael Smith. held a special par,de
on April "a. 1857. with the view of testing the
Willingness OF the carabineers OF the regiment
to use the cartridges. After an explanatory
speech. in which he pointed out the groundless-
ness OF their fears. he ordered the men IN usa
the cartridges. Eighty-five OF them. however
refused to do so. A court Of inquiry was sub-
sequently held. followed by q court-martia
only one finding was possible and the sentence
pronounced on all the culprits was ono NJ ,ten
years Imprisonment This. In the case OF some
OF the Younger soldiers. was reduced to five
years by the confirming officer. Gen. Hew-
Ut. commanding the Meerut division. On tho
morning OF May 8. the whole garrison at
Meerut paraded to hear the sentence read ont
AFTER which each convict was fitted with n pair
OF leg irons. adjusted there and then IN his
ankles by blacksmiths. We are told that tba
degrading punishment was witnessed In suIIen
silehce by TWO native infantry regiments, the
EieVenth and Twentieth. as well as by the
Third Light Cavalry. which was dismounted
on that occasion. 1t would have been madness
for them at that time to have attemnted =
rescue. for they would have been swept Off tho
race OF the earth by the guns of tho artillarv
ana the rifles OF Her Majesty's Sixtietb Foot
not to speak OF the swords Of the Sixth Dragon
Guards. all OF whom we're provided with
service ammunition. and had been go nIacad
as 10 have the native regiments at their mercy
tor moro than an hour the troops stood mo-
ooniess' their nerves at the highest tension.
while the shackles were being metbodicoII,
ana slowly on the ankles of The
criminals. each OF whom. in turn, called IoudIv
on his comrades for help. and reviled in 0oroo
language. now their Colonel. now the Officers |
VINO composed the court-martlal. and now the
Government. No response came from tho !
ranks The being finished. the prIs.
oners were taken charge OF by the authorities
OF the Iail. and tho troops were marched back 10
FOR upward OF q day and a half all
was quiet. The snake OF nsubordination
had been. to all appearance. killed. A rude die.
Illusion. however. was in store for the British
oihcers. On the evening Of the next day, Nav
TO- 1887 occurred the concerted rising Of tho
which the local British Commander
proven unable TO suppress. The opinion is ex-
pressed by Col. Mackenzie, on mage o4p ~.
the European troops. 1900 strong. were mar.
aiyzed by the irresolution OF their chief, Ha
aeems 1t safe to say that. had Hearsey or Sid
ney Cotton occupied Hewitt's place at Meerut
lew OF the mutineers would have succeeded In
reaching Delhi. The shrapnel Of the artillery