For the Home Secretary's vaunt had scarcely been made public when the ineptitude, or the wish to deceive which had prompted it, became apparent. His reply, already quoted, had been written on the 25th of May. Between that date and the 30th the native troops at Fírúzpur, at Alígarh, at Bulandshahr, at Itáwah, and at Mainpurí rose in revolt. The news from Agra, from Lakhnao, from Kánhpur, from Banáras, was of a most discouraging character. It became evident, even to the Government, that not only had the mischief not been arrested, but that it was yet in its infancy. Under these circumstances. Lord Canning could not but feel very anxious regarding the movement of the Commander-in-Chief against Dehlí. The maintenance of the authority left to the English, between the Húglí and the Indus, depended, he felt, on the promptitude of the action of the gallant soldier who, on the first news of the revolt at Mírath, had hastened to Ambálah to organise a force to march against the rebels. It was in this view that, on the 31st of May, he despatched to that officer a telegram which clearly shows how, since the Home Secretary had triumphantly 'snubbed' the French inhabitants of Calcutta on the 25th, the views of the Government had changed.[1]
- ↑ 'I have heard to-day that you do not intend to be before Dehlí until the 9th. In the meantime Kánhpur and Lakhnao are severely pressed, and the country between Dehlí and Kánhpur is passing into the hands of the rebels. It is of the utmost importance to prevent this, and to relieve Kánhpur, but nothing but rapid action will do it. Your force of artillery will enable you to dispose of Dehlí with certainty. I therefore beg that you will detach one European infantry regiment, and a small force of European cavalry, to the south of Dehlí, without keeping them for operations there, so that Alígarh may be recovered and Kánhpur relieved immediately. It is impossible to overrate the importance of showing European troops between Dehlí and Kánhpur. Lakhnao and Allahábád depend upon it.'
