The Friend of India and Statesman Tuesday August 5th 1879

This omission is the more to be regretted as the difference between the Persian or Arabic of a newspaper and the language of the classical text-books in those languages is greater than the gulf which separates the English of Shakespeare from to-day's leader in the Times. [...] Whether this is owing to want of" intelligence" on the part of the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce and of the Indian public generally or to the want of something else on the part of the Government will be an interesting subject of inquiry for his Excellency the Viceroy and the Finance Minister. [...] The Kirghiz declare that the present situation is the direct consequence of the Russian occupation of the valley of the Ili with Kuldja as its capital ; since the Chinese would never have recaptured Kashghar but for the Russian protectorate over the Taranshi of the Ili who would otherwise have joined their brother Mahomedans of Kashgar in resisting the Chinese advance. [...] Such a system could not but collapse like a house of cards at the first touch of the inquirer and the investigation set on foot by the LieutenanGovernor in connection with the renewal of the grant to the Bealdah Hospital by the Calcutta Corporation speedily led to the exposure of unscrupulous dishonesty on one side and stertorous indifference on the other "But it is no longer possible for [...] LAST NIGITP Sir Stafford Northcote was to move in the House of Commons a vote of thanks to Lord Lytton " for the ability and judgment with which he applied the resources of the Indian Empire in support of the military operations iu Afghanistan." The Commons would at the same time be asked to vote thanks to the officers and men engaged in the war.