The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-22

LONDON, Nov. 21-On Sunday, May
10, 1857, news came by wire from Meerut
to Delhi that a number of the men of the
Third native cavalry were to be punished
for refusing to bite their cartridges. 1t
may be remembered that it was the sup
posed fact of the cartridges being creased
with lard which was the immediate cause
of the outbreak of the Indian mutiny.
Mr. Todd, who was IN charge of the
telegraph Office at Delhi, started for Nee
rut early the Monday morning to as
certain the cause of a sudden breakdown
of the wire. He met the mutineers and
was killed. At the Delhi office were left
only two boys named Brendish and Pix
ington.
About IL o'clock heavy firing began IN
the city, just outside the walls of which
the telegraph office lay. Then wounded
British officer came by in carriage. But
the boys remained at their posts tele-
graphing the news of events through to
Lahore by way of Umballa, which was the
only line remaining OPEN
AT in the afternoon Delhi was taken
by the mutineers from Meerut and all
the Europeans were massacred. Brendish
sent the news through and ended with
the words,
land Now Pm Off,"
1t was this message which enabled Gen.
Lawrence at Lahore to disarm the Sepoys
there before they heard the news of the
capture of Delhi
If this precaution had not been taken,
these regiments, which were mutinous to
the core would most certainly have risen,
and the rebellion would have spread all
through the Punjab. AS it was, the great
province remained peaceful and actually
proved the salvation of India, for 1t was
regiments from the Northwest which in
ficted their first defeats on the mutineers.
Both Brendish and Pilkington escaped
safely and the former retired a few
years ago with a pension of about a3
a week.
Lord Rosebery was the sender of one
Of the most important kilograms which
ever left these shores.
Early in 1893 France fell out with Siam.
On July 20 of that year France presented
an ultimatum to the Siamese government,
and friendly vessels were given three
days to clear.
Out of the Harbor Of Bangkok.
British commercial interests were then.
rs they are still, very important at Bang
kok, and H. M. s. Linnet was on the
spot to protect them.
When Lord Rosebery heard of the
French order, he inquired of France what
facilities would be given for yictualine
81.
The French admiral replied that the or
der applied to ships of war as well as
merchant vessels, and that the Linnet
was leaving.
Had our government acquiesced, it is
almost certain that the Siamese natives
would have risen, all white people would
have been killed, and one of our most
valuable markets lost to us forever In
stead, Lord Rosebery teegraphed imme-
diately to Bangkok that the Linnet was
on no account to leave
The French admiral, seeing that Britain
meant business, explained matters away
by saying that he had not intended to
order our ship to leave; he had merely
desired that she would change her posi-
tion.
Meantime our government devoted al
its energies towards inducing Siam to
yield to certain of the French demands
and by Aug. ] she did so, and
The Crisis Was Over.
Other countries besides our own have
prof1ted largely by the use of the tele-
graph wire. It is said that telegram
gained for Russia her long coveted Pacific
harbor, Port Arthur.
When Russia grabbed the place whole