episode in Lord Dalhousie's administratïve career. His own ideas seem to have been at variance with the home government upon this point; and, had he been permitted to take his own course, the annexation might not have been effected, or, if at all, in a very modified form. He possessed, however, an exaggerated notion concerning obedience to command; and, in obeying the dictates of a tender conscience, he subverted his own private opinion; and, instead of relinquishing a false position, which a man of a different habit would have considered the most honourable course, he passively remained to carry_out the behests of his superiors. Whatever blame, therefore, attaches to the transaction-his own individual ideas, notwithstanding-must ever be identified with his ad

ministration.

Its

The kingdom of Oude had long been in a state of sad mismanagement; and that something must be done had been evident to the governors from Lord Bentinck downwards. The king had abandoned himself to degrading pleasures, and to the counsels of the most worthless and licentious companions; so that the time which should have been devoted to the benefit of his subjects, was spent in the most frivolous and even debasing pastimes. The evil influence of the court was felt beyond its precincts. ministers had become corrupt; and, under an effete administration, a condition of society was developing which threatened grave consequences to the province. Remonstrance had been tried; but, so far from altering the complexion of things, it probably aggravated them-inasmuch as, unaccompanied as it was with the determination to act, it had been regarded in the light of a simple protest; and thus this rich and highly favoured province seemed fast approaching a condition whence redemption would be impossible.

The question was a very delicate one, and required serious consideration before the taking of summary steps. The exigencies of the case, it is insisted, might have been amply met by an assumption of the administrative functions only-for which operation precedent was not

In

wanting. Lord Dalhousie himself was of this opinion. Nevertheless, no such method was adopted. The authorities in England, overruling the moderate proposals of the governor and his counsel, decided upon the extinction of the dynasty, and the annexation of the dominion. 1866, therefore, the territory of the King of Oude passed into the hands of the Company. Whatever may be said concerning its expediency, and however much the gross immorality of the court and consequent disquieted condition of the dominion may appear to condone it, the execution of the measure appears in the light of a piece of base ingratitude towards a dynasty, which, through evil report and good report, had faithfully observed a friendly attitude towards our countrymen.

This much, however, may be said in behalf of the governor-general-whose overstrained notions of duty rendered it possible-that the transaction was an error of the head and not of the heart. For when, that same year, he set foot upon the deck of the vessel that was to convey him from the scene of his nine years' labours abroad, he was able to look back upon a varied career of glory and usefulness, illustrated not more by the triumphant issue of the Sikh war, than by the initiation of that system of railway, postage, and telegraph, which has since been attended with such beneficial results. He was succeeded in office by Lord Canning, the then postmastergeneral.

CHAPTER XXVI.

ADMINISTRATION OF LORD CANNING.

War with Persia-Battles of Mohammerah and Ahwaz-The Indian Mutiny-Causes-Dissatisfaction among the Sepoys -General character of British rule-The Greased Cartridges -The Bengal Army-Preliminaries of the Mutiny-Outbreak at Meerut-The Insurgents take possession of Delhi-Spread of the Rebellion-Precautionary measures adopted at Meanmeer, Ferozepore, Umballa, and other places.

THE first year of the new governor-general's administration is marked by a short but sharp struggle with the ancient kingdom of Persia. For purposes of trade, and as a check upon the intrigues of Russia, missions had been sent at various times to the Shah's court-the last being that despatched by Lord Minto in 1810, when Sir Gore Ouseley was made permanent envoy to Teheran. In 1838, or just before the Afghan war, encouraged by the European power above mentioned, they laid siege, it will be remembered, to Herat, which was successfully defended by Captain Pottinger; and, by a subsequent treaty (1853), the king agreed to make no further attempt upon the place. This treaty was faithfully observed till the period of Lord Cornwallis's administration, when, after offering a series of gross insults to Mr. Murray, the British envoy, they broke faith; and, besieging the fortress, captured it. Mr. Murray had previously quitted Teheran; and the governor-general was not slow to take up the gauntlet thus rudely thrown down by the Persian monarch. An army of 6000 men under General Stalker was despatched from Bombay, which forthwith attacked Bushire. The place was taken, and the entire artillery and ammunition of the place came into possession of the victors.

Meanwhile, Sir James Outram had arrived; and now the struggle began in earnest. The Persian force was on its way to attempt the recovery of Bushire; and the British commander lost no time in advancing to intercept them. He fell in with them at Khooshab. The action that followed was a brilliant affair, and in it the Poonah horse and 3rd Bombay cavalry won undying renowndeciding, by their bravery, the fate of the day. The most celebrated and decisive action of the campaign was that of Mohammerah, a fortress situated upon a branch of the Euphrates, known as the Karoon (1857), where Prince Khan Mirza lay with a large army. The position was exceedingly strong, and considerable opposition was expected in consequence. To the surprise of the commander, however, the enemy made but little resistance, and withdrew to take new ground at Ahwaz, higher up the river. This position was subsequently attacked by Commodore Rennie; and its easy capture virtually terminated the

war.

By the treaty that followed, the Shah guaranteed the integrity of Herat, and the protection of British commerce, and bound himself to assist in the suppression of the slave-trade. The good-will that has ever since existed between England and Persia has recently (1873) found expression in the cordial reception of the Shah by all classes in this country.

The administration of Lord Canning is memorable on account of its association with one of the most tragic occurrences it has ever been the lot of humanity to witness-namely, the Sepoy Mutiny (1857). We have now and then noticed the spirit of discontent and insubordination which pervaded the ranks of the native army, and told how that Sir Charles Napier had been despatched from England as much for the purpose of grappling with the danger it foreshadowed as to supersede Sir Hugh Gough, to whose bad generalship the slow progress of the Sikh war, and the fearful loss of life were erroneously attributed. We showed, too, the difficulty which stood in the way of reform, and how little he was able to progress with the

task he had been sent out to perform. The spirit of dissatisfaction and ill-will was widespread and deep, and the danger serious in the extreme. A critical period had indeed arrived; for our position in India was imperilled in a far greater degree than in the times of the Mahrattas, of Hyder Ally, and Tippoo Sahib.

Many circumstances had joined in producing this mutinous spirit; and it is but fair to our rulers to say that many of them were entirely beyond their control. The process of conquest by which India had been brought within the dominions of Britain, was necessarily accompanied by those evils and hardships which all enlightened conquerors may perhaps mitigate but cannot avoid. Conquerors of the Xerxes, Attila, or Tamerlane type might make short and easy work of all disaffection by the application of iron measures, such as might enter into the souls of the vanquished, but would nevertheless at the same time preclude all attempts to give expression by outward act. Of such like dealings they had had sad experience in days gone by. Such a method, however convenient it might be, was utterly antagonistic to the principles and education of Englishmen, and could, therefore, never be adopted. Hence a government of excessive laxity and toleration which the Hindu, in his profound ignorance might readily misinterpret as the offspring of indifference, indecision, or even fear. The marked deference the Company had always paid to the prejudices of the natives had been carried to so excessive a degree, that they had even opposed the introduction into the country of the useful customs of their own land.

This non-interferent policy had been observed by the Company up to the period of Lord William Bentinck's administration. Time had been, indeed, when heathenism was encouraged, and the most revolting ceremonies actually protected by military guards. But a new era had come in with the reforms of Lord William and his successors. Admission was permitted to the missionary, schools were founded, the public service opened to natives, and the time seemed at hand when a change in the con