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dir-eeted . from a 6-peeial point of view . One of the most interesting , though jiot iiie most disinterested , is Mr . Hyde Clarke ' s Colonization , Defetice , and Ruil-¦ anays iti Our Indian Empire ( Weale } . —Mr . Clarke describes the numerous Knglish towns that have sprung up atnoug the Himalayas and the . Neilgherriets , to -which invalids resort for convalescence , and shows that European colonization may be developed upon an ample scale—a possibility to which he justly . refers as affording an excellent suggestion for the future security of the conquerors of India . We have never yet made the country our own . We a . ve strangers among the people . We have subdued them but not settled among them . But to sprinkle the peninsula and the mountains effectually with European towns we must develop railways and telegraphs , and it is as an advocate of these projects that Mr . Clarke has avowedly compiled his
elaborate and useful publication . We have no doubt whatever that every encouragement is due 1 o the promoter ' the only thing to be regretted is that they did not receive Government guarantees y em-sago ; had the Mirzapore and Delhi line been constructed , the mutiny could never Lave assumed its present frightful proportions . Mr . Clarke , to illustrate the capabilities of India for English colonization , enumerates a large number of residentiary towns established within the last thirty years ; but while they remain unconnected by steam communication with the coast their progress must be slow , and their inhabitants comparatively unsafe ; what is now an eig-hty days ' march might be accomplished by railway within twenty-four hours ; thus , had the ^ Northern I 3 eng . nl llailway been completed , battalions might have been poured dowu in half a day from Darieeliug into the valley of the
Ganges , while , had the Simla line been open , Kuropean forces might Lave been transported in six'hours from Simla and Soobathoo to Delhi . We advise our readers to bestow careful attention upon Mr . Clarke ' s pamphlet . ¦ The Present Crisis in India ( John Chapman ) is a pamphlet of a totally different class , by the Author of ' Our North-West Frontier . ' In a history of British political and military progress in India , published some years ago , we find a chapter on the North-West Frontier , containing passages from an unpublished-memoir written by Captain Bonamy for Sir John Malcolm , from inedite < l notes by Sir John Malcolm himself , and from fin important manuscript memoir by Sir John Macdonald . The purport of the united argument was to show the necessity of guarding the Affghan line , and , converting into defensive battalions the predatory nations on that frontier . The writer of this pamphlet urges the formation of a . host of Eastern Cossacks on the hills to render the Affchan passes impregnable .
From that topic lie advances to the actual insurrection , and traces , vigorously and suggestively , a theory of the causes which have provoked the Mohammedan and Hindu mutiny . He is obviously a man .-of practical local knowledge , familiar with all the workings of our Indian administration , and admirably adapted to discuss in any arena the military exigencies of the Anglo-Indian limpire . ' The author of The Mutiny in ( he Bengal Army ( John Chapman ) adopts as a motto Sir Charles Napier ' s exclamation , " Yes , the Sepoy is a glorious soldier . " Glorious in some respects , undoubtedly , as he amply demonstrates ; but in others despicable , as late occurrences still more conclusively ; show . Apart from the moral influence of English discipline , the Hindu or the Mohammedan becomes a coward , a savage , and a monster . The pamphlet argues convincingly in favour of retaining a native force , a point on which all competent authorities concur with him , but he scarcely makes out his case when he contends to some extent in favour of a hi » h-caste
army . He assigns the insurrection , upon grounds which he explains from « "bvious personal knowledge , to three ruling motives—the alienation 6 aid to have arisen between the Sepoys and European officers , the great expansion of territory without a corresponding increase of our military establishments , and a vague fear of a desire , or even intention on the part of the Government , to subvert Hinduism and caste . We have already considered these points , but we may counsel sucli of our readers as desire to analyze them in detail to consult the publication under notice . Mr . Malcolm Lew in is a pessimist , and in The Way to Lose India , with Illustrations from LeadoihaU-street ( Ridgway ) , deiivers himself of a lengthened , groan . He talks about universal poverty and misrule , the social degradation of all classes , insult and oppression , in a manner that proves him to be declaiming with his eyes shut . lie says the existence of the
Indian native , under British rule , has been " but a passage to another state . " " The condition of all classes of society is hopeless . ' '' ^ You have drained the country of its wealth , " and left it richer than at any former period . JLeally , Mr . Malcolm Lewin is by no means a safe counsellor in the midst of a crisis . His sympathies arc with the Sepoy , lie would hardly object , we . might almost imagine , to let loose Nena Sahib and his Mahrattas in Leadenhoil-street . We are sorry that he despises the strength that lies in moderation , and prefers a virulent tirade to a calm and attested statement . When , however , we found upon hi . s title-pnge the huck quotation Solitudinein fuciunt paccm appellant , we anticipated nothing more nor less than the outjKranngs of a man whose advice has not been appreciated by the Court of p roprietor s . We , as our readers know well , nre not the apologists of Leadenhall-street administration ; but we can have nothing to do with onesided and reckless declamation .
The Crisis in India : its Cannes- and Proposed Remedies , by a Military Officer Ot lhirty-two Years' Experience in India ( Bentley ) , appeared originally , W 3 think , in the Daily News , in the form of successive letters signed Caubulee . ' The writer has a thorough acquaintance ¦ with his subject . Jxe understands India ; lie understands the Court of Director * ; lie sees to * ne bottom of Mr . " Yemen ' Smith . Ho complains that while such men as Mr . Mansell , late resident at the Court of Nagpoor , Mr . William Honry i-lhot , a » d Sir George Clark are kept in subordinate corners , Whig noiuloscripts are . thrust into responsible positions , where they malco a farce of their ^ responsibility . We do not sanction all the assertions of ' Caubulee , ' but we •» ave been deeply interested in his series of rapid , reflective , pointed Btatezaents , abounding in practical suggestions , as well as in sharp criticism of * non and measures . Among other hints , lie proposes tho establishment of a "government organ in the vernacular , to bo circulated among ithe native troops , to refute false and irritating rumours propagated by seditious
malignants . Such an organ , unlike the French Moniteur , would be exposed to public contradiction were it to be guilty of prevaricating or misleading tie minds of the Sepoys . He exhibits , moreover , the historical growth of an . assimilation in sentiment and interest between the Mohammedans and Hindais—a very important aspect of the question , and one which has nowhere been so ably discussed as in the letters of ' Caubulee . ' A speech on Bengal : its Landed Tenure and Police System , by the Hon . Arthur Kinnaird has been published ( Kidgway ) In a pamphlet form . It advocates , with temper and spirit , a reform and extension of the police administration in the Lower ' Provinces of Bengal , and a parliamentary investigation into the system , of landed tenures , and the dispensation of justice in that populous
region . It will suffice to mention the titles of two other valuable publications on similar topics—Minute of the Honourable F . J . Ilalliday , Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal , on the Stale of the Police and of Criminal Justice in the Lower Provinces of Bengal , and Disaffeclioti in the Native Army : a Minute ¦ wr itten dy Sir Thomas Munro Thirty-jive Tears ago . ' Scrutator' publishes ,, in a neat form , a sensible and interesting review ( Kent and Co . ) of The Indian Mutiny . We may add a notice of a pamphlet entitled Corrections of a Peu of the Errors contained in / Sir IF . Napier ' s Lt /' e of his Brother , Sir Charles Napier . By George Buist , LL . D .. ( Smith , Elder , and Co . ) . —Dr . Buist convicts Sir WillLsun J ^ apier in a style which dis }) oses of that gentleman ' s claim to be ranked among historians ov biographers .
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THE NOBLE TBAYTOUR . The Noble Traytour . A Chronicle . By Thomas of Swarraton , Armiger . 3 vols . Smith , Elder and Co . The dulness is beginning to disperse . A new novel breaks in upon -the stagnant season . It is an Elizabethan masquerade . Shakspeare , -the Queen , Essex , fialeigh , and a hundred nobles , kniglits , and ladies of the land appear on the stage , -which presents a close and elaborate copy of -the Elizabethan fashions . The author has imbued himself with the spirit of the times which he embodies , perhaps , too quaintly and formally . But his studies have not been without their value in preparing him for the composition of a semi-historical romance , garnished with fancy , and carved and painted with infinite industry , so as to revive the characteristics of a past age , the favourite field of the novel and the drama . The story needs no
description . It is that of Elizabeth and Essex , as handed down by chronicles , and is , of course , a tragedy . The writer adopts the theory that the Queen murdered her favourite ( for it was a murder ) in order to wreak her jealousy upon himself and his beautiful countess . He is particularly successful in his pictures of the Court ; but his dialogues are artificially modulated , and are sometimes wearisome . With what freedom he deals with incidents and personages may be imagined from , a single sentence , descriptive of the scene after the condemnation of Essex : " And now the Lord High Steward of England brake his stafi ^ Sir Walter Italeigh . drew a long breath , Shakspeare wfept , and the Pursuivant declared that the couxt had risen . " We advise our leaders to send for The Noble Traytozir , since it is the only novel of any merit they are likely to have for some weeks ; at least it is a pleasant interruption to the monotony of the political and literary recess .
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JOURNAL OF A BASHI-BAZOUK . Journal of a Basfti-BazouL By Hugh Mulleneux "Walmesley , Lieuteaant-Colon « l in the Turkish Horse . Groombridge and Sons . Like the ground-swell of the sea after a storm , comes the volume of Licut .-Colonel Mullcneux Walmsley , after the discussions which have been raised upon the merits or demerits of the Bashi-Bazouks , or Beatson ' s Irregular Ilorae . The principal merit in th e book is that it establishes the possibility of utilizing these Arab and Arnaouts tribes , and confirms the impressiou that General Beatson has , upon the whole , been hardly used . Like Captain Money in one respect , he assumes to write impartially , but unlike Lien in another , he lets us see that the superseded General was not recalled until the heat and burden of the day -were passed , and the rough natures of these Arab Cossacks had felt the taming influence of European command , and were becoming amenable to discipline . General Smith ' s work was
therefore comparatively light ; he had but to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor , which he wisely did ; and finding the irregular soldiers under him more tractable and submissive , to put on a stronger curb than would have been possible on the first formation of the regiment . We conceive that great injustice has been done to General Beatson by tho disregard of this one fact . Tulit alter honorcs . At first , doubtless , strange scenes occurred amongst these untutored troopers . When on parade , for example , the men would smoke , sing , and laugh ; and occasionally an officer in command of a regiment would sec his whole corps dash suddenly away in a headlong charge after an unfortunate hare , at other times a few of the men would decline to be drilled on some particular morning . This was oa the banks of the Dardanelles . Tho moral perceptions , too , of these wild sons of the desert were not very keen . They would break into a baker ' s shop , plunder it , and feel surprised that a noisu was made about it . Sonic allowance had aluo to be made for the customs and
practices of their uncivilised life , as the following anecdote will show : — Two troopers of a regiment quartered at lin . sgrnd had committed some minor offence , and a native oflicer was sent to arrest them , lie met them near the house of his bimbnshi , and demanded that they should be given up . lie was followed by several of liis friends , troopers in tho same regiment ; and whilst the men ho was in search of appealed to the bimbushi for protection , high words ensued . In a moment—a « d why no one knew , nor could afterwards any reason be assigned for it—the room was filled and darkened with pistol smoke , and the whole party rushed iuto tho open air . Krery one had fired because his neighbour hml iired . Oa inspection , when the smoke hud cleared away , it was found that one trooper lay 6 tono dead , having been istiot through the head , while a second , clove to the chin by the keen sabre and vigorous arm of tho bimbashi , dyod the ground-. with u puddle of brains and gore . Still no ono knew why this fracas had occurred or -who lui « l begun it . These euddeu frays were one ol
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INo . 392 , September 26 , 1857-0 ¦ __ T-HE LEABE S . __ 93 i
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 26, 1857, page 931, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2211/page/19/
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