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Leader (1850-1860), 7th November 1857, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1071

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      Untitled Article

      LORD CANNING . ( To t 7 ie Editor of the leader . ') Sir , —Punch , the immortal hunchback of tbe English press , is doing service to India in her present difficulty . His . version of ' Lord Canning's proclamation in . favour of the Indian mutineers ' will not a little mortify the Council of the Supreme Government at Calcutta ; and its power will be acknowledged wherever in . the disturbed districts the authorities are endeavouring to restore order by severity to the defenders of the country and by truciling to the natives . Punch concludes his admirable satire with this paragraph : —¦ ¦ " The Governor-General will punish witi . the utmost severity any infraction of the rules laid down in this proclamation , and should any Englishman be found to have put to death , or permitted to be put to death , or not exercised his utmost endeavour to save , any unfortunate native , armed or not , such Englishman shall be hanged immediately on the close of the campaign . " ( Signed ) Canning . " Calcutta , September 1 . " Why did Lord Canning snub Mr . Colvin for a proclamation the spirit of which he has himself so closely imitated ? Certain it is that there * will be no disposition at Agra now to adopt a more vigorous policy . What Is really being done there you may judge by these extracts from a letter now before me , brought at the latest date from that place : — " The authorities seem to be verily blind , and have resumed their old dirty trick of placing in posts of honour and responsibility men who are known to have acted treacherously . Several of the influential natives who had decamped from the 5 tli to the 8 th July ( the former date being that of the battle of Agra ) have sent in petitions' ( i . e . after the mutineers had gone clear off without being able to massacre all the Europeaus ) , stating- that it was fear which had urged them to take the step they had adopted : and some of the petitions have received favourable consideration ! " > The Vicar of Bray himself was not more successful than these fellows . Should the Gwalior

      Contingent besiege Agra they will be on the other side again , ready to petition or massacre their European friends , according to the turn that fortune may take . What follows raised my own indignation . How does it affect you ? " The militia , you know , is composed of all the ( civil ) servants of Government and other residents of Agra , such as those of the railway establishment , merchants , &c . The rules adopted for the Calcutta militia would have suited us here , being wise and prudent ; but our Government have acted in a most disgraceful manner towards their own defenders . AtfirsC , when they Avanted men , their uncovenanted servants were courted with smiles , and every token of good feeling was manifested . Even some of the higher covenanted servants headed the bund , but when the day of action came these high nobs quietly sneaked away . Since then the treatment which the militia has received is beyond my powers to describe . Remember that the native character has displayed itself in the blackest dye , while the Christian of every rank and denomination lias given evidence of good faith , and placed his life at the disposal of the State . Can 3 ou believe it , that the native is yet treated with more consideration than the Christian militiaman , and the latter exposed to all the insults that the pride of tho civil and military service can inflict . The English press would doubtless give it no credence . Yet it is a fact that our Christian militiamen arejloygtul at the triangle ; and at the hands of natives too ! Why , but because of petty offences , whoa their blood und their standing would not broolc insults from the scoundrels ? Several of our militiamen have thus been treated ; and ono especially was lashed in the compound of the may 1 st rate ' s office % native Khit las ftecs . ' " The writer speaks of the armoury-square in the fort as also being a place for these punishments , natives being present as spectators . Tho open area round the magistrate ' s oilicc , more than a mile from the fort , is the compound spoken of , where hundreds of natives . assemble to witness tho gratifying spectacle of Christum militiamen toeing Hogged , as in former days the police used tliero to l \ o < x thieves and other nsitivocriiuiniils . The pover to inflict such punishment was long sinee taken away from the magistrates ; und you aro doubtless aware that no native sepoy , since the rule of Lord William HctiUnck , is subject to the degrml / uion of tho lash , even for the most serious crimes , l ' ou will wonder , them , for -what oflbucc the volunteer *) who have rendered important military service aro thus de-

      Untitled Article

      and there was no one else to undertake it . Precisely so . Your noble navvy is entrusted with the tackle tliat works the vessel of the State—long ago launched amidst oceans and archipelagoes—and the blundering- fellow hauls on when he should haul off , and the Bhip gets a twist in the spine . Huge , "brave , brawny men weie at work at the drums , and all that brawn , bravery , and big arms and legs could do they did ; but they wanted an eye and an understanding . There was no one to supply these essentials . Consequently , the Leviathan was prevented from lying with * her bulwarks on the brine , ' so soon as had been anticipated . We , in the old vessel of the State , which has been preserved in the brine of centuries , repeatedly have some lubber in charge of the boats , or in command of a gnu , or at the helm , who swamps a crew , or fires a shot into a friend ' s eye , or who bumps us against a rock when the captain is dining . But the Millwall people" have the advantage of us . They ax * e actually taking additional precautions . They -will place the navvies under supervision . They will improve their plans . But that is not our fashion . The ancient hulk is burned down nearly to the water ' s edge , or jammed between rocks , or lets a insist go by the board , or has a' watch ' washed overboard , or is otherwise damaged , and we . pay for the repairs , bury the casualties , ' pass votes of confidence in the officers , and get afloat again , in the humble hope that a few days may j > ass without seeing us again among the . breakers , or blazing fore and aft like the Flying Dutchman in a thunderstorm

      Lord Canning

      graded , and that , too , by punishment not inflicted in a camp , nor by military hands , but on the premises ot a police-office , and under the cat of a policeservant . What follows relates to the son of a trader ot the same name and country as the Armenian merchant of Calcutta , reported to be the largest contributor m India to . the Relief Fund : — " Poor Arrathoou ' s boy received twenty-five lashea , because lie told the sergeant he did not know how to clean a horse , how to scrub a horse , or how to attend a horse . A representation was made to his Honour the Lieutenant-Governor , but he very politely refused to notice the prayer , and aaid in reply , that as we are taking protection in .. the'fort , we must submit to whatever is ordered . The consequence is , that almost every manL in the militia is sick of what he has had to undergo . The head clerk of the Sudder Dewanny Adalab ( the Supreme Court of the N \ V " . Provinces ) had a week ' s extra guard for threatening a sweeper . " The sweepers do nightmen ' s work , and are the very lowest class of native servants . Every one is , however , not thus visited . " Great men have great privileges :- — "A gentleman of the Covenanted Civil Service the other day caught a native , pounded him well , and let him go with various bruises . The native complained to the sentry on guard , and the circumstance was reported ; but all was hushed up , and the gentleman got off probably -with half a dozen words of rebuke instead of forty lashes at the triangle . This is British , justice for you , and shame on the men who , professing Christianitv , can be guilty of it . " . " Every man -who has helped to save India at the moment of imminent peril is entitled to honour and kindness . Surely some member of Parliament will bear these atrocious punishments in mind and call for an explanation . It ours , obediently ,

      Untitled Article

      Police ( Bengal Presidency ) . —A copy of a despatch from the Governor-General of Indiato the Directors of the East India Company ( dated May 14 th of this year ) has been published . It relates to the police of the Bengal Presidency , and expresses the general agreement of the ; Council in the views take a by Lord Canning , as expressed in a minute of February 18 th , containing the following proposals : — " 1 . That the police of Bengal be reorganized at once , without waiting for a plan applicable to the whole of India . 2 . That there be no general superintendent of police for Bengal , but that the police be superintended , as at present , by the commissioners of divisions acting under the general control of the Government . 3 . That the police of Bengal be not organized after a military fashion , but that two , or perhaps three . additional corps of station guards bo formed to protect tho offices , gaols , and treasuries , to furnish escorts , ami to aid the regular police in case of need . .... (> . That either covenanted oilicers or uncovenanted deputy magistrates bo placed in chai-ge of subdivisions , consisting of from three to four thamuihs each , and that ninety members be added to the subordinate executive service at an increased annual expense of 4 , 12 , 80 0 rupees . 7 . That the office of magistrate and collector where now disunited in Bengal should be combined in the saniu person , and that such of the covenanted officers as aro no- \ v magistrates and are not absorbed in . the hiylier office , should bo employed as joint magistrates and deputy-collectors , but without any increase of salary . 8 . That the joint magistrato in each district should ordinarily have the superintendence of the police under the general control of tho magistrate . 9 . Tbat tho deputy magistrates exercise judicial as well as police powers . 10 . That the moonsifls generally bo vested with tbe criminal powers of an assistant magistrate , and with such higher powers as the local Government may think proper to cunfor in particular cases . 11 . That tho proceedings of the subordinate courts bo made as summary as possibly and that there be no appeal of right . 12 . That the local Government ho authorized to vest respectable roskk-nts of the interior with the powers of an assistant magistrate . " Tin : Nknk Valley Drainage . —Tho recent report of Mr . llobcrt tStephonsQii , C . E ., on the present state of the None Valley drainngo works at WLsbeneh , recommended tho ercotion of a temporary stanch to avert tbe danger which is dreaded by some persons . The None Valley Commissioners have held a moisting , and adopled a report in which they say that tlicy have " no funds , and that it is theroforo impossible for them to ' execute ) tho work sugsoBtocl } besides which their own engineer thinks it would be inexpedient to creel , tho Htanuli . Tbat gentleman , however , has been instructed to imt liinisoK in communication with Mr . Stophoii . son . Cai'K ok Uoi > i > lloi'ic—Tranquillity prevailed at tho Capo at tho lust advices . Three regiments and two compumai of artillery lmd' been sent on to India . The Kau-irs on tliii frontier were dying by luuul . odH ftom starvation , wi « l novernl thousands had entered the colonv where th « y wwo fed mid clad by the cokwisla . " '

      Untitled Article

      There is no learned man but will confess he hath much profited by reading controversies , his senses awakened , and bis judgment sharpened . If , then , it tie profitable for him to read , -why should it not , at least , betolerablefor his adversary to write?—Milton .

      Untitled Article

      * . ' - - Cut . this department . as am ,. opinions , however extreme , ahe allowed aji kxi'kession , the editok 3 eci 2 ssakily holds i 11 sisblf responsible koknojjk . ]

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      ( 0 pra CntttmL

      Untitled Article

      I No . 398 , November 7 , 1857 . ] THE LEADEH . 107 l

      Untitled Article

      , The Liverpool and Birkexhead Docks . —At the conclusion of the ordinary business before the Liverpool Dock Committee on Thursday "week , several memorials ¦ were read from merchants and traders , urging the necessity of increased dock accommodation on both aides of the Mersey . After some discussion , a motion was carried to the effect that the matter should he referred back to the special sub-committee . — -A special meeting of the Birkenhead Commissioners was held on the following morniug , -when the chairman , Mr . John Laird , read some letters from the directors of the Birkenhead , Lancashire , and Cheshire Junction of the Great Western Railway Companies , advising that they should hold a conference , with the view of ascertaining what steps should be taken to compel the Liverpool Corporation or the Liverpool Dock Trustees to proceed with the completion of the Birkenhead Docks , as required by the Mersey Conservancy Act of last session . A resolution -was ultimately ad < atfed sanctioning the proposed conference between a deputation of the commissioners and a special committee of the Birkenhead , Lancashire , and Cheshire Junction and the Groat Western Railway Companies , with power to confer with tho Manchester Chamber of Commerce and other parties on the question . The Law Clerk was also authorized to give notice for an application to foe made to Parliament for the purchase of tho Birkenhead Gas and "Water Works , and for the constructioa of any new works that might be necessary . East Londox Ragged School , and Refuge . —The third annual public meeting of this society was held on the evening of yesterday week in the large room of the Whitcehaiiel Society , under the presidency of the Lord Mayor . The report was of a very satisfactory character , and showed that out of sixty-nine boj r s received into the Refuge , forty-five have been reclaimed , and that they all possess a certain sum of money in the Boys ' Bank , one having as much as bl . Various resolutions were agreed to , and a collection was made at the doors . The Caim : Colony Emigration Commissioner and Aoknts . —An extensive emigration to the Gape is about to commence . Uy the last accounts from the colony -we learn that tho emigration offices have been filled . The Hon . William Field , Collector of Customs , and member of the Executive Council , has been appointed Emigration Commissioner for the colony of tho Cape of Good Hope . Mr . William Caruthcrs , Hagcl Kraal , in tho division of Caledon , J . l \ , and Mr . William Way , lato district surgeon at Burgheradorf , have been appointed agents in England for tho colony for emigration purposes . The sum of 50 , 000 f . has been voted to defray the passage of emigrants from Great Britain to tho Cape . — C ! ril iSvrvieu Gazette . A Mission to Amhiuca . —Sir William Gore Ouseloy , charged with a special mission to Washington , and thence to the several States of Central America , sailed in the Arabia < m Saturday for Nmv York , accompanied by Lady ¦ Ouseloy and suite , having been entertained on tho previous night by 31 r . W . Brown , M . I * ., chairman of tho Honduras inuWennie Knilway , and of tho Atlantic Telegraph Company . Sir William goes out with lull power id treat of tlio variouri matters embraced in wlmt is comniiMily called Central American questions . Tho Arabia had on board a very large mail , 201 , 592 / . in specie , and one . hundred and fifty passengers .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 7, 1857, page 1071, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2216/page/15/