'Remarks on the Bashi-Bazouks and other irregulars; including brief reflections on the present war. With a sketch of General William Ferguson Beatson, organiser of the Bashi-Bazouks during the Crimean campaign' by Colonel William Ferguson Beatson Laurie [‎5r] (9/24)

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discipline a corps of irregular cavalry for the service of the Porte Of
merhTand ded K n th / re never was an y question as to its
staunc h qualities of their commander, until they were
thrown into a state ot discontent and desperation,” which need not be
commented on here. Even when clouds over-shadowed one of the
ar ing objects of his ambition—which was’ that in some future war, even
m, g htnotal Io'vthem to be led by British officers, the
„ n i ^ , . ls ^ 1 P line effected in his force might vyork some permanent
ti T ^ lsh . troo P s in general—the able and zealous Anglo-Indian
satl ®f act l on o^ding that “ the result of an inquiry into the
discipline of the Bashi-Bazouks was, that no fault whatever could be laid
to Lreneral Beatson.
far M „ r ' ^ ladst ene, in his speech at Birmingham, 1 has well said that, as
camp” Government ^ concerned, Turkey is “not a State, but a
tW 10U M ^ >0rte come fairly well out'of the present war, it must be
thoroughly impressed on the Sultan and his Pashas-if they are to
remain in Europe—that irregular troops especially, left without pay and
xvifi 1C f S ’ mu 1 st necessa nly turn to plundering for subsistence! And
T j • Ut r, e g uIar payments of every kind the country cannot be, like
India, a State as well as a Camp !
In the revised sketch to which the reader is now invited, a few unneces-
h t V6 been omitte f Th ere can be no doubt that the General
Aline' a Ure 1 born a ^ ■ aiser > ° r a powerful Dictator at the very least.
fi 3ee j n ? a< ^ e t0 Shere Ali, Ameer of Afghanistan, with
thnno-if 6 ^ c l es, ^P s Russia in the East. Doubtless, Beatson
» at c ^ ord s g rand Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). in honour of the Ameer, that we
tH ^ ti la ' C 1 eidler as a staunch friend, or an open enemy, and
r . ere co y^ d be no half measures. Looking seriously at the state
• a i irS ’ anC /'^^ US i Sian P r .°g^ ess 111 Asia during the present war—also
r • cring Cabul a principal outwork of our Indian Empire—our
leru s !p with the Ameer must prevent a Russian occupation of
ghamstan ; and, on the other hand, as it has been wisely affirmed, if
pre eis to e our enemy “it is all the more necessary to bring the
country under the direct control of the British Army.” Military control
°- n0t ne( ,? Sari ! y mean ar mexa.tion, and no enlightened statesman of
T ( a y''° u ( . W1S1 to see die Viceroy evince the annexing genius of
J.ord Dalhousie, except under the most urgent “ force of circumstances.”
ue hjive just wisely anne xe d a state in South Africa “to secure the
“ wvf an our f 0 i° n ies so some shrewd people may exclaim
In ie same policy elsewhere, or in the East, when required?”
aJm-T tr ° Ub ° US tim f» when k 15 even rumoured that the Czar is
exched tlSn^ m 01 t0 the Anieer ’ 50 much sus P icion is
- ted that it is difficult to know which way to turn. The Russo-
31st May, 1877.