The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-23
OF PLAssEY MOST DECISIVE OF BATTLES

Although the present war is fraught with tremendous conse- quences to the whole world, it is un- likely that history will record any single battle of the conflict so de- cisive and important as the clash be- tween the English and the natives of India at Plassey 158 years ago today, June 23, 1757. That battle may with truth be said to have marked the beginning of the British empire of India. The victory of the little band of gallant Englishmen who fought at P1assey was in many ways the most decisive and important in all the his~ tory of warfare. From Plassey flow ed that train of events which made Great Britain supreme from the Himalayas to Ceylon. and which placed in the hands of little England the destinies of more than 250, 0,000,- 900 people. That Indians remain loyal to the British crown today, in spite of all the efforts of Britain's s enemies to rouse them to revolt, may be due in some part to memories of Plassey. The British administration of India has often been subjected to severe criticism-and the bitterest critics have been Englishmen. Many
 of the natives have cherished the spirit of rebellion, yet. in this crisis: they have shown that they prefer to work out their salvation as a part of the British empire, rather than striving for independence. With the majority, this is probably due to a. profound conviction that the British way is the best available way for In- dia; as for the others, there is the
 memory of Plassey.
 Robert Give, a youthful clerk of the East India, Company, led the for Iopn hope of the English at Plassey Dow1a, followed by the horrors Of the ''black hole," a dungeon eighteen feet square into which 146 eof the British were thrown and from alive, inspired in young Give a ber- serk rage and set him grinly about the task of revenge.
 Gives little force at Plassey num- bered only 5000, of whom 2 1000 were Sepoys and only 1000 EngIishmen Facing this little army on the plains of PIassey was a great and we'll equipped ndian army led by Surajah Dow1a. He had at his disposal 65- 900 men, of whom 15,0OO were cavalry, and more than fifty cannon With the odds more than twenty to one against them, some of Gives ad- visers favored a retreat, but the youthful leader would not hear of it. Not since the Greeks faced the hosts of Persia had a victory been gained at such tremendous odds. The conflict was short and terrible. The I among the Mohammedans that they soon broke in confusion, and when the little British force charged the army of Surajah Dowla fled in head long rout.
 The lesson of Plassey was potent for century, but in 1857 the natives | again sought to drive out the British The mutiny was terrible and bloody affair, marked by remorseless cruelty and depraved infamy on the part of the natives and harsh retaliation by the British. When the South African
 war broke out India demanded the right to send her fighting men against the Boers, and was refused. The re- fusal was blow to India's pride, and it ranked for many years. Now l the dusl<y potentates and their stall
 wart soldiers have at last been given the opportunity to demonstrate their va1or in the service of the empire and it is likely that this will further cement the loyalty of India to the l British government.