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Leader (1850-1860), 14th May 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 624, Untitled Article

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    • INDIA AND INDIAN PROGRESa
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      Untitled Article

      COLONISATION IN INDIA . A NOTHER very important measure connected f ** with Indian colonization is announced by Allen ' s Indian Mail . It is that Lord Stanley has obtained the sanction of the Horse Guards to allow regiments in India to take with them all their married women , instead of the allowance of four soldiers' wives to . one hundred privates . It is stated that the consequence of this measure will be that four thousand women will be sent out , forming the nucleus of an English colony .

      get a free passage to our colonies , nor can he in most cases save the amount of the passage money to , the preferable colonies , and he knows that in Canada or Nova . Scotia the chances of employment are very small . A free passage to India , and the opportunity of marrying , with a free passage for his wife , would induce many a man to accept five years' service , and , as circumstances offered , he would either remain permanently attached to the army , by renewinff his ensraerement , or he would form part of the

      The Assam Company have held a successful meeting , their crop having turned out rather larger than they expected , though the price has been rather lower . There has been , however , a little revolution in that company , of which the press has not spoken . The old monopoly of the direction has been broken in upon by some of the old employees of the company , and it is to be trusted this will be a means of introducing a more liberal system . Although the Assam Company has done a good deal for itself , yet through the spirit of monopoly and jealousy it has n ot done what it might for Assam j but has rather served to discourage private enterprise .

      The appointment of Mr . J . K ,. Martin to the important office he now holds is calculated to promote hill settlement , as heis now enabled to carry out his views for the extension of hill sanitaria , and has directed a series of inquiries to be carried on as to hill sites and hill climates , which will result in the discovering of many suitable localities for cantonments , and will thereby extend the range of settlement . Dr . Grant has published a valuable report on the same subject , and Dr . Bird is about to rcad ^ a paper at the United Service Institution on the effect of the hill climates of the Dekkan on the health of the soldiery and their efficiency for service . It is theopinion of many that cantonment in the humid climate of Mahableshwur and the like places will unseason the English soldier for service in the plains when

      required , and this seems likely ; but some are disposed to go a stage further and discourage bill cantonments altogether , except as sanitaria . Certainly the experience of the Himalayan sanitaria does . not encourage the local conclusions of the Bombay authorities . The United Service Institution are about to publish , with a map , Mr . Hyde Clarke ' s paper on the adaptation of the hill regions of India as the bases for its military defence .

      local militia and serve in the hills , effectually contributing to our military strength . Such men would be a cheaper instrument for the authorities than full service men for India , as they need not receive such high pay or the same indulgences , as the object of the recruits would be to profit by the emigration bounty . It would be indeed desirable that , in short service corps , the remuneration should not be so high as in long service corps , and hence there would be an inducement to some to enter the long service corps as an employment .

      One advantage of the settlement of the soldiers after then- retirement will be that further employment will be again created for the wives and children , and new openings for the employment of retired soldiers . We do not expect anytnmg from military coloni es ^ for our military colonies have always failed , and always -will ; it is by the dissemination of the soldiery among the civil settlers that the military settlers will be best provided with employment and made the best settlers , and this training is of great value .: for fifteen or twenty years of military life , spent in habits of irresponsibility and of routine are a bad preparation , or rather a dishabituation for civil pursuits . But India has some advantages for the employment of soldiers which Canada , New Zealand , and the Cape do not possess . . India is already in

      possession of rude labour , but . this requires intelligent superintendence .. Already , in some of the tea plantations , retired sergeants have been found useful overseers . Occupation of this kind will prepare the soldier for other employment , and in some cases he will acquire the special knowledge that will enable him to engage in the business himself . We doubt very much if any good will be done by making grants of land to retired soldiers , unless in some cases where the man and his wife can manage a small dairy farm j but these are exceptions . We think it far better to trust to their absorption among the main body of settlers . In the case of officers it is different , and many a man would apply capital to a grant of land and become a successful tea and coffee planter , as some already are in Darjeeling , Assam j and Kumaon .

      The subject of settlement , which is now called colonisat ion , is again making way at home and abroad . In the Bombay Gazette there is a very interesting article on the colonisation of India , . in which the writer openly says that , in the sub-Himalayan and other ranges , there are vast tracts suitable for English colonisation , and that even on the table lands there is good scope for planters and overseers of labour . The writer points out the special advantages of India for tea and coffee , of course , but he likewise dwells on wine ' making and fruit

      growing . It ia well known that in the Ivashme . er and other like districts the vine grows well , and an experienced French wine grower has stated that he had seen in the Himalayas thousands of acres on the hill sides well fitted for this culture . Just as the local demand for tea and coffee is supplied , and a considerable export is carried on , so , no doubt , before many years , the local demand will be furnished by Indian wines and an export trade be opened . The . mineral resources are likewise referred to . In the . Universal - Review is a special article on Indian colonisation , in which a writer who is practically acquainted with tea planting gives his experiences . Assam is , however , the chief obiect of his attention , though he speaka highly of Cacuar , Sylhet , . Almprah , and the Doyrah Dhoon . Ho holds , blithe greatest promise to the . tea planter , and , there can , bo no doubt that flea planting has now . op fa * attracted publio attention in this country that it will become a favourite pursuit , ., ..

      Without indulging in extravagant expectations , we cannot but look forward to great results . from this wise and benevolent step . It is unfortunately true that too many of these women are of low habits and abandoned characters ^ but nevertheless many of them are hardworking , maintaining their little children by the toil of their hands , with small help or no help from their husbands . These will form the true nucleus of colonisation , if but moderate care be taken . If these women and their children be stationed , as they ought to be , in the hill districts , they will there get employment in various pursuits from the English residents , to

      whom they will be of material help , and by whom their moral training will be supervised and assisted . Thus in time they will be ino burden on the Government . Merely as cooks , housemaids , nursemaids , nurses , laundrywomen , needlewomen , and dairymaids , there is employment ready fpr hundreds , and the girls will be brought up to assist them . At Simla , for instance , where many English ladies are resident , European female assistance to be obtained on moderate terms will be invaluable , and thus at once considerable remuneration will be afforded . Then , top , when an , increased population of this

      kind is settled , it creates the demand for other services , and these wpmen will , besides such additional employment , have the opportunity of ope ning shops in- various trades of luxury and necessity which are pursued by women ; and the greater the population the further the subdivision of labour . At Simla , Darjeeling , Landour , Nyneei Tal , Soobathoo , Muiree , Matheran , Mahableshwur , Ootakamund , Pponah , Bangalore , and so at all the many smaller settlements and in the planting dis- ' tricts , these women and children can be distributed . A . considerable number of them travelling about

      with the troops will likewise obtain casual employment in the hill stations and the stations of the plains . It will take some time , care , and consideration , to organise a system which shall be convenient to the soldiers and their wives , but it is most desirable that children , as far as possible , should be kept in the hills . Besides the Lawrence and other asylums , as the settled population increases in the hills it will be easy to farm out yqung children , and to get employment for the older children . In the end the soldier will obtain far greater comfort than now , while his wife and

      children will be so placed as to have the means of acquiring an independence . The settlement of a woman and her children , in good employment , in one of the hill towns , will make a provision for the husband on his retirement from the army , and so likewise the establishment of a few soldiers as foremen on tea and coffee plantations , as mechanics , and even as planters , will exercise a favourable influence on the ranks , and lead the mass , to coneider it an advantage that they have been brought to India . Thereby recruiting for Indian service will be rendered more easy , as there will be prizes to be held out by the recruiting sergeant beyond

      the hazards of war , and just those prizes which will tell most sensibly on the agricultural . labourer or even on those-men employed in those lower and commoner trades for which the remuneration ia restricted at home . Ofler the shoemaker or tailor a . iair prospect of employment in a thriving colony after a few . years' service , and it will be more Attractive than a money bounty , because it is a bounty in itself . V&ae course of , t ; he colonial legislatures with regftrp , to emigration is well oalculaie ^ £ p favour , short 8 tt ! $$ ? ' «<* CT' j | or Xndia ; .. $ " q > y that tfte . emigration cio ^ . Mo » e ^ o ^ fgi ^ o , c . 61 bi 4 efrpi ^ a « d chpose , it is nlmosymppjMble &v a mechanic inmost Ifcrades to

      Untitled Article

      From the northern settlements and Sanitaria there is little recent news . Mr . Montgomery , it is said , will go to Murree , and Major Lawrence , the Military Secretary , will accompany him . Mr . Keginald Saunders is appointed to the charge of the Kan « ra district , which is now assuming some importance , and he takes the place pf Major It . Taylor , promoted to Lpia . . .. . Commissioner in

      Mr . A . G . W . Harris , Assistant Naffpore , has received charge of the Chindwarra district , in succession to Captain C . 0 . Robertson . We trust that the resources of the lull districts ot Nagpore will not remain long neglected . fn the Neilgberries the Ilev . B . S . Clarke has been appointed chaplain of the military station ot Jaokatafia . Mr . H . D . E . Ddrymple , master attendant at the Madras Dockyard , has received leave for the Neilgherries . . T Lieutenant ft . A . Stradling . of the Indian Navy , has leave tq April next year . . Major J . Fowler , 8 th Madras L . C . has bis months leave to Bangalore . ¦ retain Sattara has some visitants for health , ^ . Canton B . M . Westropp , Major of Brigade at Cnndeish , has leave there and for Mahableshwur . Mr . J .. u . Seaton , mate in the Indian navy ,, 1 ms been , to tue latter place . Mahableshwur is-lucky ngftin , as leave is likewise given to Lieutenant G . P- Wh 2 nd Bombay Grenadier N . I ., and to Captain x . Oliverof the Bombay Native Veteran , BattotoB .

      , , Th ^ o ' arc short leaves . Mr . W . R-TavQ " allowed to go to Mahableshwur while etudyjng Hi S C . Beale , of the 22 nd Bombay K . I , has leave to Sattara . .. vv Lieutenant G . N . P . Mason , of the Indian navv , has leave on medical certificate , for one yeai , to «•« coasts of Persia and Arabia . fi , veriBli We regret to state that Aurungabad , a «» J" ^ and hot place in the Bombay presidency , « F a stationf or place of murder , for E ^ JJJJS Trpops on the march ^ Bombay continue to pj forwarcfed by railway . On the 28 th and g March , H . M , 64 th so arrived at Bombay on » £ return from Agra , and were embarked lor avu * raoheo . ., .. .

      Untitled Article

      624 fHEfLEADEB , [ No . 477 , May- 14 , 1 S 5 O

      India And Indian Progresa

      INDIA AND INDIAN PROGRESa

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), May 14, 1859, page 624, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2294/page/20/