Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-23
pHAcE-Lov1Na BFNaALEEs
The Most Intelligent, Industrious and
Efficient People in India.
Prom the london smctater.

From the London Spectator.
Bengal does not fight, but 1t is through
the never-ceasing industry of its vast pop
ui.ticn. SO much greater than that of the
united Kingdom. that British India Is eu-
abled to pay Its way. That the Bengalees
add nothing to the military strength of the
empire is true, but then also they deduct
nothing from its strength the frontier.
No populafsoh so vast was ever so peaceful
or required so little expenditure for garri-
SOD A police principally employed in de-
tective work is all that is needed, for. forci-
BILE resistance to the state is and will
probably always remain. outside the Ben
galee scheme OF life. They pay Their taxes
to the hour chiefly through their landlords:
they obey the legal orders of any magis-
trate even when unsupported by physca
force; and when the great mutiny of 1887
broke out their auiescent but immovable
adhesion to the British side made the re-
conquest of India a comparatively easy pos
sibility. II Calcutta had been filed with
warlike population. and had risen. IL al
most infallibiy would either the Ind an
empire would have been lost, or 1t would
have been re-established at an expense OF
life and treasure equal to that of the war
with Napoleon. Throughout that danger
Gus movement Calcutta was as TRANQUILITY
British as London on Sunday. More
over. this vast population, though the re-
mainder of India stigmatizes its men as
women, has a character of its own. with
which Englshmen on the other side OF
their heads should have some sympathy.
Though Bengalees will not fight, they are,
and are reasonably proud of being. the most
intellectual race in India. 1t is useless for
any student in any college there to compete
with Bengalee rival. In every native
state they are in demand for the manage
ment of finance Next to the Parsees, per-
haps they are the most successful traders.
and they would not themselves admit the
partial qualification. Using with rare skill
especially In satire, language, direct
derivative of the Sanscrit, which is not I'M
justly characterized as 1.-THE Italian of the
east, 1t is not fantastic to say that If In
dia ever produces a literature that makes
an impression on the west, 1t VIII proceed
from the subtle students of Bengal, who
moreover, though they display no capacity
for art and little for machine-making. Will
probably rival the Japanese in their pursuit
of scientific investigation, and as money
makers are surpassed only by the Jews.
The wealth of their great capital. which is
perhaps the second wealthiest city within
the British dominion, has been built up by
themselves, and by the steady orderliness
which has made of Calcutta a proverb
millionaire there and as safe as in Lombard
street.
The people. in fact, with their cunning.
their thinking ability, and their capacity
for everything except art, constantly sug-
gest to the observant the character which
the Romans attributed TO the Greeks. There
is nothing they cannot learn. and few
things they cannot understand and COM
ment on with a gentle humorousness which
If you agree with it IT is delightful, and If
you disagree stings like a whip.
Naturally though they cannot fight. or
at all events win not attempt to-probably
from some popularity of race, possible also
because where the land Is water the men
are women" for nature is too good to them
they are in their own way proud people,
quite convinced in their own minds of their
superiority to the more violent races
around them, and not indisposed even in
moments of elaton to include the Brit sh
among these violent races.