Journal of a Cavalry Officer; Including the Memorable Sikh Campaign of 1845-1846Humbley, W. W. W. (William Wellington Waterloo)
History
Journal of a Cavalry Officer; Including the Memorable Sikh Campaign of 1845-1846
Humbley, W. W. W. (William Wellington Waterloo)
India -- Description and travel; Sikh War, 1845-1846
About 1821, the "Calcutta Journal," ably conducted by Mr. J.S.
Buckingham, was prosecuted by the Civil and Military Secretaries to
Government, when the learned editor was obliged to withdraw from India.
For many years there was a meeting at the Town Hall, on the anniversary
of the 15th of September, to commemorate the "freedom of the press," at
which one of the judges usually presided. The remedy for an abuse of
privilege is simple; for if an editor publishes a libellous paragraph,
an action with all its consequences follows. It must be admitted,
that during the commercial distress in 1847-48, and the failure of
many mercantile houses, the press was of important service. Likewise
during the Affghan war, in 1841-42, when, in consequence of the great
distance--more than 1,000 miles from the seat of war--and the serious
interruption to all commercial intercourse under the Bengal Presidency,
the newspapers published many private communications of much interest
from officers, whereas the Government only received intelligence from
official sources.
In the Upper Provinces, the "Delhi Gazette," and the "Mofussilite,"
enjoy about an equal share of patronage. At Lahore, the "Chronicle"
has been established, under the auspices of Mr. Cope, for many years
the able editor of the "Delhi Gazette," and which bids fair to rival
the other two. One of the Subalterns of the army (now Major H.B.
Edwardes, C.B.), attracted notice a few years since, by some excellent
letters written in the Delhi paper, called "Brahminee Bull." In fact
the letters from civilians, officers in the army, merchants, indigo
planters, and others, often constitute the life and soul of the
Metropolitan papers. There is a great deal of talent in the services,
and it is well that it should be called forth, and find a legitimate
field for its exercise. The merits of a trial in the Supreme Court are
sometimes discussed; and in 1849, the press certainly was in a great
measure the cause of the appointment of the commission to inquire into
the misconduct of the Calcutta police; and which at once led to the
removal of a magistrate, who was proved to be indebted £40,000 to an
influential native.
In these public journals, various improvements in the civil
administration of the Provinces are often suggested; the best means
for the safe navigation of the Ganges, etc. Then there are cases of
cure from cholera, or the bites of snakes; letters on the state of
Great Britain and our colonies; dissertations on the native languages;
poetical effusions, etc. In short, many articles in these papers have
led, as it would seem at the East India House, to the formation of an
office for the collection of Indian statistics, so long a desideratum,
and without which the Court of Directors could not state the number of
acres in the North-western Provinces out of cultivation, which is now
known to be 9,816,749.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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