| Show THE EAST INDIAN UPRISING those who imagine that the present revolt of the natives of india against british rule is as yet anything like the great uprising of many years ago headed by nana sahib are greatly mistaken what it may lead to cannot just now be told but it is evident that there is so far as compared with the mutiny previously spoken of a lack of general concert and well settled design the trouble seeming on the surface to partake more of the nature of what diplomats recognize as sporadic cases than anything else however this may be it is quietly but extensively recognized that british domination in the indian empire is not the choice of the natives and is maintained only by superior mental and military power and skill even with that duly considered si it still must be the case that a complete and spontaneous uprising of the east indians having in view the termination of foreign rule would as surely be successful in the end as that people on their own soil are more powerful than residing chiefly elsewhere notwithstanding the advantages otherwise spoken of As Js is customary on such occasions there are the wheels within wheels the plots and counterplots counter plots to be contended with all the more dangerous because unseen the rebels are composed largely of the afrodi tribe and are the most powerful desperate and turbulent of all the inhabitants of that mountainous region they are known to be superb marksmen utterly fearless in battle splendidly armed and being edans they are said to have been roused to a pitch of almost uncontrollable enthusiasm by the victories of their turkish co religionists in the war with greece this feeling extends to the people of afghanistan who like the great masses of india are anti christian and who under the tutelage of their priests have been taught to believe that the triumph of the turks over the greeks is the beginning of a revival of the moslem power which shall extend to all the nations of the earth the orientals Orient als sensitive to sentiment and superstition are particularly responsive to the influence of religious fanaticism and a holy war in which the mohammedan counts it a boon to die in defense of his faith is a possibility of which great britain has an ever present terror in her indian government the hand of the muscovite is thought to be again apparent in the disorder the acquisition of new territory is ever with the czar a hope by day and a dream by night his path to increased military prestige and commercial power runs through the strongholds strong holds of the moslem he can only advance upon india via afghanistan and the control of the mediterranean can only come through the occupation cu of constantinople Russ russian larl diplomacy has steadily cultivated the ottoman power finally obtaining a good footing at the turkish capital and well nigh destroying english influence there A war whose chief line would extend from constantinople to calcutta and embrace the rugged em of afghanistan among its ita veries series of bastions with the active consent of the ameer would te be anything but holy in act or intent tut but it could properly have no other name the fanatical and furious zeal of the edans in their religious capacity being the prevailing impulse it if the movement prefigured pre figured is to be really the outcome of the present revolt her maje government has a grave situation to deal with in the language of a new york paper british supremacy in india was never so insecure as it is today the native population is burdened with taxes agriculture is almost hopelessly depressed large portions of the country have lately suffered all the horrors of famine and plague and these causes have combined to provoke discontent suspicion and disloyalty among the people social and political conditions are such that a spark like that which has been struck by the revolt in the northwestern provinces may be easily fanned into a conflagration by fanaticism and intrigue A holy war would imperil the whole system of british control in india and if such a conflict were begun it would be with the ready and even joyous assent of russia if not at her secret instigation there seems to be but one means of escape available just now hasty and irresistible military action by england if the uprising be not crushed summarily whatever the or original design it will surely gain ground and eventually acquire what so far it seems to lack universal participation so far the british forces have had very much the worst ot of it but nothing of a decisive character has yet occurred A great defeat inflicted upon the natives would discourage them and their alleged allies while even trivial victories fill them with hope the asiatic situation has a bad look to it |
