in the most inflammable city in India, the headquarters of the intriguing Wahábís, and had preserved, amid great difficulties, complete order in the districts, those of Patná, Gayá, Shahábád, Sáran, Champáran, and Tirhút, which went to make up the division of which he was the proconsul. His services have never been acknowledged, he has been treated with contumely and insult, but he contributed as much as any man, in that terrible crisis called the Indian Mutiny, to save the Empire.
To the mind of William Tayler there was, towards the end of June, but one possible danger to the province. That danger would be very great if the sipáhís at Dánápur, numbering nearly 3000 men, were to break out in revolt. If the Government would but order that they should be disarmed all would go well. For that he would answer.
The opinion of Mr Tayler on this point was also the opinion of all intelligent men in Calcutta, that is, of the united merchants and traders, men who had shown their loyalty and devotion by raising the corps of volunteers, of the three arms, of which I have spoken, of the great majority of the members of the services, and of the loyal natives. It was the opinion, in fact, of everyone who was not a secretary to Government, or who hoped, by time-serving and subserviency, to become a secretary to Government. The question had been mooted at an earlier period. The reply, demi-official, of the Government then had been that, with only a sufficient number of European troops to preserve order close to the capital, it did not feel justified in proceeding to a measure which, unless there were sufficient white troops on the spot, might precipitate the evil it was intended to heal. That answer sufficed for the moment. But when the 37th had started, and when preparations were being made to despatch the 5th Fusiliers, in steamers which must pass Patná and
