the Contempt case. 135 The imprisonment of Babu Surendranath Baner- jea produced far reaching consequences. Indian uni- fication has been one of the dreams of Babu Suren- dranath's life. No event within the last few years with which we are acquainted has done so much to hasten forward this great consummation as the incarceration of this great Indian .agitator. National feeling , was roused to its utmost depths and meetings were held in all parts of India to express sympathy with Surendra- nath from Dehra Ismail Khan to Chittagong, and from Puna to Berhampur in Madras. National feeling re* ceived a distinct stimulus/ and under God s providence the unification of the Indian races was advanced in a* manner which was as pleasing as it was unique. In Bengal itself, Babu Surendranath s imprisonment was followed by great results : cheap journalism received a new impetus. The Bangabasi, we believe increased its circulation at the time by leaps and bounds. The Sanjibani, and the Samaya were started at this time. People began to feel a new interest in newspapers in the desire to know all about Surendranath. The meet- ings that were held in Calcutta to express sympathy with Surendranath were unique spectacles of public ga- thering. The Town Hall could not accommodate the audience. There were three meetings held at one one and the same time, and the audience mustered more than 20,000 people. A sight was witnessed on the day of the meeting such as Calcutta had never before seen. The shops in Radha Bazar and China Bazer were all closed ; these busy haunts of trade and com- merce seemed to be deserted places. Busy men ab- sented themselves from their work to obey an over- whelming call of duty and feeling
