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3q2 THE L 3B A D li B. [No. 418, Marchj^...
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REORGANIZATION OF INDIA. The only reason...
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THE LAST 'MISCONCEPTION.' At length it m...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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—,No^Makksjjl 0^P.Pm^Nj^T Hrje:R^ The In...
^ onev ffiTWESs , the Liberals , the Lords and the Commons had abandoned them to their fete , and a parliament returned expressly 'to vindicate the honour of the British flag' in China permitted British citizenship to be insulted and trodden under foot at Naples . Lord Malmesbury was not particularly British until lie sat in the Foreign-office ; Lord Pahnerston never discovered that a demand might be made upon Naples unti l he had bathed in the Dead Sea of Opposition ; as for the independent members , they , as usual , were speechless . At length , upon a change of government , after the press had koon i-omr ^ -t-icfra + irior fr » r fpn nnnspftllt . ivft TnOIlt . tlS . SJ 1 U ¦ - ** ¦
fij \ j \ j 11 » \ fr ii \ r ^ -i ** " * MA TiTtV 1 Sk *^^ Jfc yr > y m ^ ^^^<*^ w »^ ^ mmtmv ^ ™— — - — v u j ——after ten months of torture and injustice had been inflicted upon the engineers , Lord Mahnesbury found i t convenient to say what might and should have been said last summer , and which Lord Malmesbury might have suggested by moving a resolution in the House of Peers when he saw Lord Clarendon neglecting his public duty . And naw — uo thanks to Downing-street —the Englishmen are liberated , the one sent home , broken down in mind and body , the other out on bail and still liable to conviction in a Neapolitan court . The royal rescript sets forth that " his Majesty , wishing to give a proof © f deference towards a subject 01 her Britannic Majesty , deigns to permit that Watt may return . to England . " Will he deign to
make amends for the gross outrage he has committed against the laws of nations and the persons of two British subjects ? Will Lord Malmesbury consider himself bound to insist upon indemnity ? Here is another part of the case to be taken up by the press , and , if vigorously developed , ten mouths hence , whatever Cabinet may be in power , some Mr . Lyons may be sent to Naples to require a further proof of King Ferdinand ' s . " deference towards a subject of her Britannic Majesty . " The two Englishmen have a distinct claim upon the Government , and since their cause is identical with that of the nation at large , it will no doubt be prosecuted unt il , without any thanks to Downingstreet , a settlement is obtained .
3q2 The L 3b A D Li B. [No. 418, Marchj^...
3 q 2 THE L 3 B A D li B . [ No . 418 , Marchj ^ ISSR :
Reorganization Of India. The Only Reason...
REORGANIZATION OF INDIA . The only reasonable ground upon which we can take our stand as the nolders of India , is that -we are , in moral and intellectual power , the dominant race . On the ground of mere equality with the Asiatic , we must give up every right to govern him . To make sure our footing , then , in India , it is our business , and in behalf of civilization our duty , to make manifest , by every means in our power , the superiority , moral and intellectual , to which we lay claim . That must be a fundamental principle i n our attempt to pacify India , and to re-establish upon a firm and lasting basis our empire over the Asiatic mind . No ' reorganization' but that founded upon that principle will ever be efficacious or just . Mr . William Ewart ' s suggested colonization of India goes near to point out the great want of India , detected and pointed out long 1 before by General Jacob—^ namely , English mind . Throughout India there is no influence more respected than that of an honest and able English gentleman ; than such a man there ia none whom the native would receive more willingly for his ruler . It becomes , then , of
the last importance to secure for India the services of such , men only as are morally and intellectually fitted by their personal conduct to impress the native with this high respect . And hero is the difficulty . Where are buou men to be found ? If the old system of appointment failed to seoure the fitti ng men , is the new competitive system any more likely to secure them P The Bervice required is one that can scarcely be reduced to system , bat is one in whioh , guided by general principles , the civil servant in India must be left to act in many circumstances upon his own discretion .
India can never be governed by a central authority , for the reason that that central authority can never be thoroughly acquainted with the wants and necessities of distant provinces—necessities requiring to be met at the moment , and to bo xin-, ~ der 8 tood ^ only ^ by ^ tho-holp . Qf- ^ Qam . pletc-, lQQal _ kn , QSKr ledge and present knowledge . It is on the oharaoter of the local governors of India that we have to rolv for the security of our preeminence . Nothing , then , that can bo done to ' got tbo right man into the right placo * must be loft undone in our labour of' reorganization . Experience has of lata abundantly proved what power one strong English mind may exort ovor an entire district . If oaro were taken to choose only men , thoroughly fitted for the difficult task of Indian
local government , it is impossible to over-estimate 'the probable good that would result . To seoure such men every advantage in the way of salary , consideration , and support should be offered as inducements ; for , as General Jacob has said , English mind in India is cheap at any price ; and a powerful and respected local governor , by increasing the productiveness and general prosperity of the district over which he presides , repays twentyfold the 'cost of
his government . "In introducing European honesty , energy , perseverance , knowledge , nigh principle , and ability into this country , " says General Jacob , " we are , in fact , importing so much life ; every single human creature within range of such influence oecomes a higher order of being , and possibly tenfold more productive , as respects the public wealth , than before . " But a task even more difficult than the organization of the civil service of India has to be under
taken : the reorganization of the Indian Army . One thing is certain , that for ages to come our rule in India will only be maintainable by the aid of an efficient military force . How that force is to be made efficient to the utmost degree is what we have to consider in forming or adopting a scheme of reorganization . The system upon which the Bengal Army has been formed having given way , what is to be the system upon which a new Army is to be constructed ? Tti this question , unfortunately , there will be as many answers as there are interests bound up iu the subject . But there seems to be one opinion—coming as it does from a man who
has given practical , not to say glorious , proof of his power to deal with this great subject—that is worthy of taking precedence of all others given or to be given : it is that of General Jacob , whose regiments , enlisted from districts largely impregnated J > y the spirit of discontent , have never swerved from then : loyalty under any temptation . That the Army of India must , in the main , be furnished by the Indian , must be accepted as a necessity ; the permanent maintenance of a sufficient European force being all but physically impossible . But the organization of the Native Army must be , in most respects , the reverse of that under
which the Bengal Army ripened for revolt . Henceforth the dangerous prejudices of caste must find no recognition , and the European officers , instead of being systematically separated from their men , must systematically familiarise themselves to their men , in order that the basis of their authority may be respect inspired by their personal as well as military qualities . For there is no influence so potent with the Asiatic as that which is personal . Were the men selected who are best qualified to gain the kind of ascendancy here demanded , comparatively few would be required to do the work of officering the Native Army , that is , compared with the number hitherto supposed to be necessary .
If experience goes for anything , the system of General Jacob for the organization of native irregular cavalry might be adopted for the reorganization of the entire Army . Every district should have its own military force , drawn , so to speak , from i ts own soil , officered by Europeans to whom it should be attached by the strongest personal ties of respect and trustfulness ; each corps should be a complete army , on a small scale , having its depdt in the district to wiiich it belongs , but being always ready to move wherever its services may be required ; it should have its own artillery and means of conveyance complete . The difficulty of moving any considerable body of troops in India is too well known to need proof for the purpose of showing the iramenso importanoo of supplying to each corps or regiment the means for the transport of the necessaries of . the march . Am example of the advantages of General Jacob ' s system will suffice to show its value : —
"In December , 1845 , " ho says , " when General Simpson received orders to move « . brlgnde from Hyderabad to Bhawulpoor with all possible despatch , I wae in the act of mounting iny horao for parade , when the Assistant-Quartermaster-General rode up and asked me from tho General when I should bo ready to march ? I replied that we wore always ready ,- and wo actually * Viar niarBh _ fchQjj » mej ^ regiment in perfect order , and fully equipped , before a
untrammelled by the forma and regulations of « T regular army . Thus , the regiment ia rendered at m times complete in itself , and independent of all 1 * : departments . " om * These views will not be any novelties to oar readers , who have been prepared by the speoy letters of our own military correspondent writing from Nagpore . We have also been the medial through which many of the now collected writing of General Jacob were given to the public At any rate , the time is come when successful exoe rience should be tried against unsuccessful exne ' rience in arranging the civil and military reorganiza " tion of India . "
man of tho ' regular' troops could bo moved from Hyderabad ( fifteen days nftor our doparturo ) , although they were aided by a baggage corps , ' by the commissariut department , the collector , and tho police authorities , while the Slrxle Irregular Horse was wholly independent of all external aid . . . . The whole essence of the SUidar system with reference to oarriugo , as to all 0 I 90 , oonelota In tho men being rondo to provide for thomeolves in nil roapeotH , and tho commanding officer being loft to raako liifl own rules and arrangements
The Last 'Misconception.' At Length It M...
THE LAST ' MISCONCEPTION . ' At length it may be positively stated that the pain ful misconceptions which have existed during the last few weeks between the French and British Cabinets have been happily brought to an end . That Lord Palmerston should have failed in reuniting two great countries so generousl y jealous does not appear surprising , when we consider that Lord Malmesbury , a diplomatist of a far higher order , was unable to briug about that perfect reconciliation upon which the interests of European civilization depend . At all events , the late dispute has now been settled in a manner honourable to both nations , and , we will add , to the spirit and sagacity of the high contracting parties . The representative of Great Britain must , upon tins occasion , be complimented upon the explicit candour with wliich lie replied to a state paper issued from the Tuileries , and history will certainly do Louis Napoleon the justice to say that his response to the appeal was worthy of his throne and character . There are occasions upon which it is impossible not to set aside the weapons of polemical criticism , and to acknowledge heartily-aud frankly the services of those statesmen who , whether upon a throne or in a humbler situation , have probably preserved the peace of Europe , and , to quote a late Prime Minister , rolled back the tide of war for the next fifty years . As the official correspondence is not yet before us , it would be premature to pronounce conclusively upon it ; but we are iua position , we think , to disclose the general tenor of the negotiations . The Emperor Louis Napoleon had , by proxy , accused Mr . William . Carpenter , subeditor ol a weekly contemporary , of acting as the paid chairman of the Discussion Forum , which , be it known to all by these presents , is held at the Green Dragon , Fleet-street , and of presiding over a meeting wliich discussed the right of regicide . Unlike Lord Palmerston , Mr . William Carpenter promptly replied to this manifesto , and observing the limits of diplomatic courtesy , described himself as a voluntary chairman , vindicated the legislators oi the Forum against the aspersions of a foreign despot , pointed to the rank and opulence , ol the politicians with whom he had tho honour to «*>""* signified in a manner that was no doubt intelligible at the Tuileries , that , let the four quarters ot the world rise in arms , Fleet-street would preserve its independence , the Forum its dignity , and Mr . William Carpenter the chair in which ho sits , an unsalanett Speaker , a Lord Chancellor without the base hope W a retiring pension , his only prospect of reward being that the fumes of many a pipe as yet uusmokeu wut , in winter nights to come , embrown the portrait ol oaq who , besides beingPrcsidcnt of the Discussion ! onun , has brought Louis Napoleon to a proper sense oUW own position and the undoubted rights of Eng lishmen . The Imperial reply—not an autograph but a clerical communioation-aignificd that France had misunderstood Mr . Carpenter ; that his Imporml Majesty was satisfied with Mr . Carpenter ' s cluculation ; that France and his Imperial Majesty jointly apologized to Mr . Carpenter . Now , hud Lora Palmerston acted as Mr . Carpenter acted , he inigW to this day have boon Prime Minister ol ^ "S" ^ But ho left tho honour of tho oountry to bo indicated by William Carpenter , Esq ., of the O ocn Dragon , " Floet-strccfc . Aa an experienced ati oa man , ho should have known that y hon one p jai lOTcT ^ erifaiailccS ^^^^ ready to vault into his place . But it is W £ regret tho past . Wo have had several weeks o un necessary misconceptions , and now that u » c 1 i » of . Monmouth has been saluted by tho 1 yu ° j Macedon , and Alexander tho Conqueror oxoh 1 gc « grootings with Aloxandor the Coppersmith , wo w J confidently trust Hint no quostiou is likely soon arise to disturb tUo alliance of two powom » empires .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 27, 1858, page 14, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_27031858/page/14/
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