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Leader (1850-1860), 20th February 1858, Edition 1 of 2, Page 173, Untitled Article

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      of the Crown the uncontrolled appointment of high officers in India . —Sir Charles Wood , referring to the act of 1853 , which he had introduced when President of the Board of Control , said le then expressly stated that it might be necessary at a future day to intro duce still further changes , and to , govern India in the name of the Queen . There should be a better mode of choosing councillors for India than by the proprietors of East India Stock . A larger number of European troops must be maintained in India , and to put an end tojealousies the whole of our Indian army should be the Queens army . —Mr . Willoughby believed that the contemplated change would bring dismay on the minds of the natives , who would look upon it as the forerunner of the withdrawal of some of their most cherished privileges .

      The patronage of India is now distributed upon just principles , and he could not think favourably of a measure which would change that system . A vast amount of patronage would be placed in the hands of the Government without a check , and its influence would arm an unscrupulous minister with a very dangerous power . With regard to adoption , the Company never interfered with it where private or personal property was concerned . They had not ignored the Christian religion ; on the contrary , the servants of the Company had been among the best friends of that religion . Much had been said about colonization ; but it was said in ignorance . To entertain the project of colonizing the plains of India was an absurdity . —Mr . Campbell said that the Company had taken credit to themselves for improvements

      in India , but most of them had originated with the Governo : s-General . He expressed his decided approval of the bill , and believed that the name of the Queen would be hailed with delight by the various classes in India . — Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton characterized the measure as audacious , incomplete , and unconsidered . The system of check now complained of had saved the empire from many a fatal blunder . Lord Palmerston and Sir G . C * Lewis had affirmed that under the existing system there is no responsibility ; but Sir Charles Wood—whose speech that night had answered his speech in 1853—contended that the whole responsibility rests upon the President of the Board of Control . Pass this bill , and the House would never interfere with the affairs of India , unless it were to the interest of some party to assail

      the Government through the Indian Minister . —Lord John Russell could not consent to leave this matter in doubt for another year . It was imperative that they should have only a Queen's arniy in India . That alqne— -seeing that it broke up the very foundation of the East India Company — showed" the urgency of legislation . He saw" no alternative but to look the question in the face , and to come at once to a solution of the difficulty . — Mr . Diskaeh reminded the House that they had not taken into consideration the financial part of the question . After the proposed change , it would be impossible to keep up any distinction between the finances of India and those of England . If

      the exchequer of India should bo empty , England would be liable . At this moment ^ thpre is a deficit in India of about two millions , and this will necessarily be doubled and quadrupled . The House ought to know , before it passed this bill , what are the resources of India , and how they are to be managed . What is wanted is a total change in the local administration of India itself . The projected scheme of homo government for India would not meet the necessities of the case . The President of the Council must trust to the Governor-General , who would thus be invested with absolute power . The expenditure would increase every year , and England would have to pay for India .

      Lord Palmerston said it was admitted on all hands that the Court of Directors was doomed ; and the Government wished to bring the authority of the Quecu to bear on India with as little derangement of existing machinery as possible . It had been said that the council would not be independent ; but did those who said so mean that there ought to be associated witbtho President an antagonistic council , who would overrule him , without responsibility either to the Government or Parliament ? Would that conduce to harmonious action and beneficial result ? Clearly , the council must be one of advice , not

      of control . It appeared to him Unit the proposed arrangement would be most conducive to the end in view . Ho wished that the House would' neitlicn bo led , away by the sophistry they hud heard , nor daunted by the phantom of an imaginary call on tlio revenues of the country for Indian purposes . If tho local Government wore to have power to increase tho local expenditure —• if the Governor-General wore to bo mistrusted—then , ho aaid , strengthen the Government at home , and give thorn tho power of bringing tho whole concern under the control of Parliament . ¦ Mr . Njiwdboatk huving mndo an inorteotual ondoiivour to address tho House , a division took place , and tho •¦— resulfwa 8 = ™— ' ! " ! """' ' """ ' For tho motion 818 Against it 173 Majority 146 The hill was then brought in and rend a flret time , and Lord Palmkiiston stated that tho second reading would be taken that day fortnight . The House adjourned at ten mimitoa post one .

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      TSTo 413 , Febrttaby 20 , 1858 . ] T HE LEADER . . 173

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      An attack on the position held by Sir James Outram at Alumbagh , guarded by four thousand . our men , was made by the enemy on the 22 nd of December , on the 12 th of January , and on trip- 16 th of the same month . On each occasion thp insurgents were defeated , with heavy loss of men and guns , and with scarcely any casualties on our side . In the last engagement , the leader of the rebels , a Hindoo fanatic , was wounded and taken prisoner . The Sepoys in this locality are said to be fiercely quarrelling among themselves . thousand Sir

      Heading a force of about eight men , Colin Campbell left Cawnpore on the 24 th of December , and secured a large quantity of treasure at Bhitoor . Three days later , he attacked and defeated the rebels on the Khoree Nudee ; and on the 11 th of January he took possession of Futtehghur . From this locality the enemy fled precipitately , leaving their guns , baggage , and ammunition behind them . The Nawab made across the Ganges into Rohilcund , whither Sir Colin was about to follow him . After subduing that district , the Commander-in-Chief was to advance again upon Lucknow . * Brigadier Walpole joined Colonel Seaton ' s column at Bewar , near Mynporee , on the 3 rd of January . The whole of the

      road is clear . Troops are being pushed through Scinde into the Punjab , and it is calculated that Sir John Lawrence will soon have a reinforcement of from three to four thousand men . With the usual energy and alertness of himself and his lamented brother , he has already provided horses for the cavalry as soon as they shall arrive . A strong column , under Brigadier Roberts , is moving from Deesa into Rajpootana , and has already signalized itself by capturing an insurgent stronghold near Mount Aboo . This was effected by the first detachment , under Major Rains , which subsequently proceeded to Nusseerabad . Other forces are advancing to join them .

      Sir Hugh Rose was at Sehore at the last advices , and was expected to arrive at Saugor onj , he 28 th of January , and then to advance to Jhansi . On the 10 th of that month ( the Malwa mutineers at Indore being disposed of } , he proceeded to Liechoa , and was followed next day by Sir Robert Hamilton . On the 13 th , Sir Hugh tried and executed one hundred and fifty mutineers , having first disarmed the BhoAval contingent . A Madras column , about to be joined by Sir W . Grant , is advancing . General-Whitelock ' s force was at Nagpore at the date of the last despatches , and the village of the rebellious Thakur of Rewa had been attacked and burnt , after an obstinate resistance . This was on the 6 th of January . The Kamptee column is advancing on Saugor . The

      Rajah of Kotah is said to be anxious to make terms . Captain Osborne , with the troops of the Rewah Rajah , took the city of My here by storm on the 28 th of December , capturing two guns . The fort of My here was also taken on the 3 rd of January . The direct route to Bombay has been re-opened . The Maharajah of Gwalior has come to Agra on a visit . The Dacca mutineers crossed the Teesta River , and made their way through dense jungles into Nepal . A Ghoorka regiment has been sent against them by Jung Bahadoor , and it is supposed they will fall back again to the eastward . The Chittagong mutineers are wandering about in the Eachar jungles . Many have been killed and captured by the Sylliet Light Infantry and the Kookies .

      The Bheels , who had assembled in force near the Nizam ' s frontier , were attacked on the 20 th of January by Captain Montgomery , in tho Mindar Junmle-Aroum . The result of this struggle is described as * indecisive . ' Captain Montgomery and three other officers were wounded ; and one of these —Lieutenant Stewwt , of the Nizam ' s infantry— . has since died . Our total loss is said to have been fifty rank and file . Reinforcements are on their way . The Punjab is quiet , and tho country for the most part is being gradually tranquillized ; " but , " says the telegram from Lord Lyons , ?« a vast amount of work has stiU to bo ¦ performed . "

      Nuna Sahib is said , in n despatch dated January 7 th , to be near Nagode with a very lurge force , and it is added that ho means to besiege Saugor , unless tho arrival of reinforcements should compel him to move in another direction . An earlier despatch mentions a report that he was thun nt a place near Gliurmucktceser Qhaut , and that u party of infantry and cavalry had gone after him . A third report , of doubtful authenticity , speaks of his having been captured by General Outram . ______ ' ~^ -Forty = fl ve-rebelfr-hrc ve ~ "been ~ "sh " o inftfOoorgnon . Of these , thirty-five were members of the Royal family . The district ia tolerably quiet , and the revenue is coming in fast . " Tho general hnproaalon left by a roviow of the facts of tho fortnight , " eaya the Times Calcutta correspondent , writing on tho 8 th of January , " is one , of sujcooss ; but tho condition of tho country In some places is frightful . Tho people , released from nil restraint , arc indulging tho

      true Asiatic thirst for blood . In Goruckpore , foi instance , Mahommed Hoossein cuts off quiet folks heads because they will not pay revenue . His assistant * cut off heads because their owners will not pay bribe * in excess of revenue . Jung Bahadoor is cutting off th € heads of Mahommed Hoossein ' s followers , and , to crown the scene , the villagers kill each other to reconcile longstanding feuds . The slaughter from all causes is frightfuL and Goruckpore will remember the year 1857 as the Irish remember the j'ears of famine . " As a result of our improved prospects , trade at Calcutta shows signs of reviving health . The Governor-General is said to be on his way to the North-West Provinces .

      ALLEGED RUSSIAN AGGRESSIONS IK INDIA . A strange and startling piece of intelligence , which , however , awaits confirmation , is mentioned in a letter from Central India , which says : — " News has just arrived here from the interior , tliat a large body of Russians , Kehmin Tartars , and troops from Bokhara , have invested Yarkund , a place about forty marches from Simla , across the Himalaya mountains , and on the borders either of Thibet or Chinese Tartary . It was well known , some time ago , that a large body of Russians were making their way by land towards India , although the English papers denied the practicability of their being able to do so . I should not be at all surprised if they attempt to take Cashmere , and march on to Simla along the very road we have lately made . "

      SIR COLIN CAMPBELL AND GENERAL WINDHAJE , The Commander-in-Chief has published the following despatch with reference to the defeat of General Windham at Cawnpore : — * ' To the Right Hon . the Governor-General . " Head-quarters , Camp near Cawnpore , Dec . 20 . "My Lord , —I have the honour to bring to your Lordship ' s notice an omission , which I have to regret , ia my despatch of the 2 nd of December , and I beg to be allowed now to repair it . I desire to make my acknowledgment of the great difficulties in which Major-General Windham , C . B ., was placed during the operations he describes in his despatch , and to recommend him ^ nd the officers whom he notices as having rendered him assistance to your Lordship ' s protection and good offices . I may mention , in conclusion , that Major-Gen « ral Windham is ignorant of the contents of my despatch of the 2 nd of December , and that I am prompted to take this step solely as a matter of justice to the Major-General and the other officers concerned . — -I have , &c ,

      " C . Campbell , General , C oraman (* er-in-Chief . " R . J . H . Biucir , Colonel , Secretary to the Government of India in the Military Department . " The Governor-General has followed this up by the General Order annexed : — " The Right Hon . the Governor-General in Council has received the accompanying despatch from his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief , and hastens to give publicity to it . It supplies an omission in a previous despatch from his Excellency , which was printed in the

      Gazette Extraordinary of the 24 th instant . Major-General "Windham ' a reputation as a leader of conspicuous bravery and coolness , and the reputation of the gallant force which he commanded , will have lost nothing from an accidental omission such as General Sir Colin Campbell has occasion to regret . But "tho Governor-General in Council will not fail to bring to the notice of the Government in England the opinions formed by his Excellency' of the difficulties against which Major-General Windham , with the officers and men under his orders , had to contend . "

      PROCLAMATION HT A KGBEL ' KING . The rebel ' King' ut Mundesore , has addressed Moulavie Jummaloodeen Bahadoor , Commander-in-Chief of the Boynl Army at Neemuch , In the following proclamation , dated Mundesore , the 10 th of November , 1857 : — " Bo it known that Akbar ' s messenger has thia moment ( twelve o ' clock noon-day ) arrived from Necmuch , and appeared in the presence of tho King , into whoso oars ho has poured the glad tidings of victory and conquest over the in ( idols , by tho capture of tho Fort of Ncomuch , by the courageous and all-daring warriors of hia Majesty ' s army . This intelligence ia most welcome and pleasing to his Mnjosty . But Heaven grant that the King and his faithful soldiers may achieve more and

      greater triumphs ovojr thoir enemies 1 It is required that upon tho receipt of this you immediately despatch , uiulor a strong escort , and properly secured , tho everlastingly holl-doomcd English prisoners to Mundesore , that the King may lilweolf fix upon a suitable mode of torture for them . Lose no time in eradicating ovory vestigo of the English power , and in eroding our standards in the Iprt ,.. ganton , mein ,-, aiid . town _ of , ^ Ncoinuoh , __ 8 trlgtly-oiJrT . join tho soldiers that they in no way injure tho country pooplo ; sovoro punlshmont will bo inflicted on- thoao who disobey this order . Carefully preserve tho arms and other property found in tho fort , and , until further orders , do not march upon Javvud . Convoy my hearty congratulations to tho army on tho attainment of this glorious victory , in honour of which I have flrcd a aaluto of olovon guns . But an tho Information has not yet boon authontioated by your despatches , I Am rather

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      THE INDIAN REVOLT .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 20, 1858, page 173, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2231/page/5/