mutiny. The issue of Enfield cartridges alleged to be greased with a mixture of cow’s fat and lard, the one being as obnoxious to the Hindu as the other is to the Musalman, was, I believe, the spark which ignited the smouldering feeling of discontent.”’
35. The annexation of Oudh was said to be the main cause of the mutiny in this Province, and not, as some regarded it, a religious outbreak of the soldiery caused by our interference with their caste prejudices and religion. No doubt the minds of the natives had been for some time alarmed on the subjects of caste and religion. But although their religious fears might have been excited, and the native soldiery might have been discontented and inclined to mutiny, yet had there been a sufficient number. of British regiments in the country, the sepoys would never have dared to break into insurrection.
36. While the impending danger was treated with indifference in Calcutta, Lord Elphinstone—the Governor of Bombay—fortunately for the interests of India, was fully alive to the magnitude of the crisis. Before the outbreak at Meerut he sent a pressing request to Sir James Outram to send back all the European troops from Persia without any delay, peace having been concluded with that country. His letter was accompanied by a communication from the Governor-General authorising Sir James to use his own discretion in the matter; and he determined, at once, to send back every European regiment, with the exception of the Artillery, retaining the native troops till the treaty was ratified and Herat evacuated.
37. Atthe time of the outbreek, India was sodenuded of European troops that the entire power was left in the hands of the natives, who, seeing but a handful of Europeans opposed to them, considered themselves sure of success, and organized this vast conspiracy, which was to extinguish the British rule and race in India by one general massacre. ‘To this idea has been chiefly attributed the outbreak of the mutiny in India. Indeed it would be difficult to find, in the history of any nation, a similar instance of the revolt of an army of a hundred thousand men against a well-established Government, whose only fault was that of having manifested too great a deference to their pre-judices and humours. There is no previous example of an army thus proclaiming a war of extermination against its indulgent masters and requiting their kindness by acts of the most atrocious barbarity.
38. In order to convey a correct idea of the difficulties which had to be overcome by the Government and the danger which threatened the European community at
