White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-10-31
HISTORY'S
MYST cries
The Cause of the Sepoy Mutiny

WHAT was the cause of the sepoy
~ mutiny? Why did the natives
suddenly rise against the English and,
"ltnout a word Of warning, try to
sweep them out Of India? Where they
predisposed to believe the widest
stories and to rush into action in a
paroxysm Of terror or was the whole
AFFAIR plot fostered and fed by one
OF England's hereditary enemies In
Europe?
These are questions which even the
passage Of more than half century
has failed to answer and the cause of
the Sepoy rebellion remains today, as
1t was the time it occurred, one Of
the most perplexing of historic rid
dies.
1t is true that the annexation policy
OF Lord Dalhousie, though dictated by
q clear insight into world affairs, was
most distasteful to the native mind.
The spread Of education, the appear
ance of steam engines and telephone
wires throughout India, and the
changes which constant British occu-
patton would effect undoubtedly had
deep effect upon the Indian mind. But
would these alone tend to mutiny ana
murder? Authorities on the subject
are inclined to doubt that they would.
The Bengal Sepoys, mostly Hindus
OF high caste, regarded reforms along
Western lines as attacks on their own
nationality and attempts to undermine
a civilization which had withstood the
ravages Of centuries. They realized
what annexation meant and they be-
lieved that it was their duty to see
that India was held aloof The numer-
GUS dethroned princes were the first
to learn and take advantage Of this
spirit Of dissatisfaction. They had
heard Of the Crimean war and they
had been told that Russia was the
eternal enemy Of England. Moreover,
they had little to lose by revolt and
much to gain.
But the movement, as undoubtedly
planned by the native leaders, was to-
be Of far more peaceful nature than
the one which finally broke loose and,
for a time, threatened to shatter British
influence on the peninsula. 1t was to.
bea battle of wits, rather than of one.
of open hostility-a diplomatic strug-
gle, instead of hand-to-hand fight.
Then, in this critical state of affairs,
of which the British government had
no official knowledge, a rumor ran
through the environments Of the Bengal
army that the cartridges of the army
had been creased with the fat of pigs,
considered unclean by both Moham-
medans and Hindus. No assurance.
could quiet the minds Of the Sepoys.
Fires occurred within the native lines;
officers were insulted by their men;
confidence vanished and only the shell
Of discipline remained. In addition,
the breaking of the long-threatened
storm found many Of the regiments
denuded of their best officers. The
administration of the great empire in
which Dalhousie laid the cornerstone,
required larger staff than the civil
service could supply, with the result
that the army was drawn upon for
some of it's ablest minds.
The annexation Of Oudh probably
added the last torch to the rapidly
growing fire, despite the fact that the,
former government Of this province
had been distinctly distasteful to the.
Hindu element. The enemies of Great
Britain, however, spread the word
that the government in London had
decided to apply equally stringent
measures throughout all India and,
when the introduction Of the creased
cartridges had melted the native army
to revolt, when the advocates Of mu-
tiny saw nothing before them but
destruction-either of their lives or
their traditions-they fell an easy
prey to the specious arguments Of
those who were strongly opposed to
an extension Of British dominion.
All that dangerous class of religious
fanatics and devotees which abounds
in India, all the political intriguers. all
who had something to gain by fight
ing the Invaders swelled the ranks
of the enemy and gave spirit and di-
rection to their measures. They cry
throughout the country became 1.-THE
EnSllSu RUE Is DIT I'LL eHQ-leL us
plumber and enjoy ourselves
But, back of all this, it appears that
there must have been some dominat-
ing influence, some mind that directed
the movements of the natives in their
well-planned revolt, some spirit Of
deep-seated hatred that worked up to
the climax of the Sepoy revolt. Who
was responsible for this? What coun-
try fostered the rebellion and fed fuel
to the flames whenever they appeared
to be on the point of dying down?
The influence is clear that it was Rus
the evidence is lacking and
the real cause of the Sepoy mutiny
is listed among the unsolved riddles
Of the last century.
"a by the Wheeler Syndicate.)
Road Sweeper and Artist
The English town of Folkstone re-
Gently had an art exhibition Of the