*

_To Sir Charles Wood._

Calcutta, June 17th, 1862.

[Sidenote: Groundless alarms at Delhi.]

The follies which are committed by the military panicmongers in the
North-west are very vexatious, and pregnant with mischief of all
kinds.... I made up my mind yesterday to set off in person and go
straight to Delhi, if the thing goes on. As a rising of troops against
us in places where the Europeans have all the artillery, and at least
equal the native forces in number, is rather too strong a dose even
for the weakest nerves, the stock in trade now is the existence of
designs for the assassination of Europeans.... These topics are
probably the conversation at every mess-table, indulged in before the
native servants, who would be the agents in such plots if they were to
be carried out. It is a remarkable fact that, although secret murder
by poison and otherwise is not unknown among natives between
themselves, as directed against Europeans, it is, I believe, almost
entirely unexampled. It is not impossible, however, that constant
discussions on the subject may familiarise the native mind with the
idea.

But talking is not all. The commanding officer at Agra has acted on
these suspicions, and, in the face of the native population, taken
extraordinary precautions on the assumption that the wells are
poisoned. We have no report as yet on the subject. All we know is from
the newspapers; but of the fact, I fear, there can be little doubt. If
there be disaffected persons in that locality (and no doubt there are
many such), it will be strange indeed if they do not profit by so
broad a hint. Then again, this panic beginning with the officers
spreads to the men. Some cases of terrorism have occurred at Delhi
which are a disgrace to our race. And of course we know what follows.
Cowardice and cruelty being twins, the man who runs terror-stricken
into his barrack to-night because he mistook the chirp of a cricket
for the click of a pistol, indemnifies himself to-morrow by beating
his bearer to within an inch of his life.

All this is very bad, and very difficult to control. After the lesson
of 1857 it will not do for me to adopt the happy-go-lucky tone, and to
pooh-pooh what professes to be information. To preach common sense
from a safe distance is equally futile. It therefore occ