The Reconstruction of India

12 PART I HISTORICALCHAPTER I BRITISH INDIA BEFORE THE MUTINY BEGINNINGS OF THE RAJ iN India and America almost simultaneously and in the course of the same world-wide struggle occurred the decisive emergence of the British power above the French. [...] I watch the conduct of the English in India and from the private soldier to the general officer from the clerk to the judge I see prevalent the spirit that talks of the "black fellows" that perhaps unconsciously assumes that the natives are very much in our way in their own country except so far as they may be turned to our cofort and aggrandisement.' Henry Lawrence again and again poin [...] After the performance of the usual ceremonies the wretched Meriah is fastened to the proboscis of the elephant and amidst the shouts and yells of the excited Khonds is rapidly whirled round when at a given signal by the officiating "Zani" or priest the 1 Edward Thompson Suttee 135. [...] The vague fear that the Goverment meditated the forcible conversion of the people to Christianity as they understood the term had pentrated into the villages and disposed men's minds to rebellion'.' One of the strangest things in literature is the way writer after writer first marshalls the abundant evidence against the theory of a mutiny of disgrunted mercenaries and then nevertheless di [...] VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL The Head of the Central Government is referred to `as Governor-General when he is regarded as the stattory head of the Government of India and as the Viceroy when he is regarded as the representative of the Sove1 Sir Malcolm Seton The India Office 48.