Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings about Afghanistan [‎109r] (223/312)

I
" TRE BANKRUPTCY OF INDIA."
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—I can assure Mr. Hyndman that I read his
paper with interest, and give him full credit for
his research and for the skilful manner in which
he marshalled his figures. But 1 at once saw that
they must be fallacious from the obvious considera
tion that here was the total gross value of the agri
cultural produce of India, whicli embraced a country
nearly as large as a continent, and supported a
population of 200,000,000, put at no higher value
than that of the British Islands,which barely supply
the needs of one-half of our population of
33,000,000. It was clear to me that the basis on
which his whole argument rested was unsound, and
that unless this was exposed in these unquiet
times mischief might ensue.
I chose the Punjab as an exemplification of his
error because it presents the only complete state
ment of Indian statistics within my reach. It
suflSced to show the entirely fallacious conclusions
he,had arrived at, and necessarily to discredit his
hasty generalization upon the rest of India. The
money value of a bushel of wheat may be 6s. in
England and Is. in India, but the 601b. of which it
consists is in either case exactly the same in food
power. That is the measure of its value to the con
sumer, whether in the Punjab or in any other pro
vince of India. My argument is that, after con
verting into money all that the State requires,
there is shown by the returns from the Punjab a
surplus which in ordinary years much more than
suffices to feed her population.
Mr. Hyndman objects that I limited myself to
the land revenue. It was that on which he chiefly
dwelt, and I accepted his own figures in valuing
the produce. But the margin admits of all the in
crease he requires. Let us take the charge as he
puts it at one-third of the wheat crop, and let us
deduct the seed at 10 per cent., we have left 10#
bushels of 601b. each of corn for the sustenance of
each individual of the population. Our eminent
authority, Mr. J. B. Lawes, estimates the con
sumption of the people of England at 5-^ bushels of
wheat a head, so that with nearly twice that
quantity the people of the Punjab ought to have
something to spare for their cattle.
But I do know so much of agriculture as ncjfc to
have omitted the cattle from my consideration.
Besides the 22,000,000 of " cultivated " a«res,
there are also returned 20,000,000 of " culturable "
and 25,000,000 of " uncultivated " acres—upwards
of 40,000,000 acres altogether, upon which the
cattle in countless numbers may in that climate
roam all the year at little cost to their owners.
Those that come to the stall are fed on the broken
straw and ears that have escaped the rude treading
out of the corn in the simple husbandry of that
country. I have reckoned nothing on the profit
which may arise from live stock so cheaply fed.
Whether great or small, when added to the money
value of the 2,261,800 acres of marketable articles
other than corn enumerated in my last letter, which
are grown for export and not for consumption, the
ryot of the Punjab would appear to have a solid
surplus such as the Russian peasant, with his six
months of snow, or the cottier farmer nearer home,
might well envy.
I am not concerned to defend our management in
India, which is probably far from faultless. But
a plausible and sensational attack upon it, such as
Mr. Hyndman's, deserves exposure.
C.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—May I venture to trespass on your space for a few
words in reference to your leading article of this morning ?
My comparison is made not between English and native
rule, but between the English rule under the Crown and
that under the old East India Company. I firmly believe
that there has been no such good administration in India
since the days of Akbar as there was in some of the " non-
regulation " districts under the Company. It is to this
form of government, with necessary modifications, that I
desire to see us return as far as possible. It was in con
firmation of Mr. Grant Duff's estimate of £300,000,000 for
the total produce of India—agricultural and manufactured
—that I availed myself of Mr. Dadabhai Naoroji's careful
and laborious calculations. This estimate was also followed
by Lord Mayo, and it should be remembered that the as
sessments are based upon the money value of the crops.
Will you permit me also to say that I am^strongly op
posed to our withdrawal from the country ? This, as you
justly remark, could scarcely fail to be followed by
anarchy. What, in my humble judgment, is absolutely
essential at the present time is a large reduction in the ex
penditure on the army and a suspension of public works;
the economical drain, which you admit should be brought
down to the lowest point by a steady but gradual substitu
tion of trained natives for Europeans in every department,
including the railways. The first step I cannot but think
should be the re-establishment of a European force in
India on the basis of the old Indian army. This would, at
any rate, tend to check the growth of the enormous home
military charges. lam, Sir, your obedient servant,
October 8. • H, M. HYNDMAN.
ENGLAND AND CABUL.
RUSSIAN VIEWS AND PLANS.
DEFENSIVE MEASUEES.
MOVEMENTS IN CASHMERE.
[BY INDO-EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH.]
[from our special correspondent,]
. PER A, Tuesday Night.
Some Russian officers of rank who have just
arrived at Philippopolia from Central Asia
openly affirm that, notwithstanding all official
denial, a complete understanding exists be
tween^ Russia and Shere Ali; that several thou
sands of Muscovite troops are already on the
frontier; and that war will ensue between
Russia and Great Britain.
They also state that a feeling of deep hatred
exists in the bosom of every Russian officer
against England, and they openly boast that
the latter Power has lost its prestige in India,
and will be driven out of the country by-
Russian agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. .
I am officially authorised to contradict the in
telligence from Constantinople, published in the
Politische Correspondenz, and telegraphed to you
by your Vienna Correspondent, which appeared
in The Daily Telegraph of Oct. 1, to the effect
that a secret envoy of the Ameer was instructed
to claim the Sultan's intervention to prevent
England declaring war against Afghanistan ; to
convince the Sultan that an alliance with Russia
was advisable ; and that his Majesty had sent a
secret embassy to Afghanistan to sound the
Mussulman population of Central Asia as to a
Pan-Islamite league against England as well as
the Czar.
The whole story is a gross fabrication.
[BY DAILY TELEGRAPH SPECIAL WIRE.]
[from our own correspondent.],"
VIENNA, Tuesday Night.
A correspondent writes from Teheran that,
according to intelligence received in that city
from Herat, the Russian mission at Cabul pur
poses visiting all the important localities in
Afghanistan, on the pretext of studying their
industrial and commercial resources, but in
reality to sound the disposition of the inhabit
ants. The Russians take every advantage of
their present opportunity to ascertain full par
ticulars concerning the country and the people.
The war flotilla on the Sea of Aral has recently
been considerably increased. The Russians'
have also beguq. to fortify the Eashgar frontier.
On the other hand the Emir of Beloochistan,
who is the sworn friend of the Anglo-Indian
Government, has entrusted the organisation of
his army to English officers, although the people
themselves are opposed to an alliance with a
Christian Power. In case of an Anglo-Afghan
war, the Emir's army Vrould be of signal service
to England.
[from a correspondent.]
CALCUTTA, Oct. 8.
Under the authority of the supreme Govern
ment, the troops of the Cashmere Maharajah have
occupied the Baroghil and Karambar Passes,
north-west of Cashmere.
■■■mm
The Baroghil Pass, the height of which is
12,000 feet, is generally supposed to be the
lowest of the depressions leading over the Hindu
Rush from the basin of the Oxns into that of
the Indus. The ascent on either side of the
pass is so gentle as to be practicable for laden
carts. It is about 360 miles from the Baroghil
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! " THE BANKRUPTCY OF INDIA."
K TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—I can assure Mr. Hyndman that I read his
paper with interest, and give him full credit for i
^ his research and for the skilful manner in which j
he marshalled his figures. But 1 at once saw that i
they must be fallacious from the obvious considera- |
tion that here was the total gross value of the agri- :
cultural produce of India,whicli embraced a country
nearly as large as a continent, and supported a
population of 200,000,000, put at no higher value
than that of the British Islands,which barely supply
the needs of one-half of our population of
33,000,000. It was clear to me that the basis on I
which his whole argument rested was unsound, and
that unless this was exposed in these unquiet
times mischief might ensue.
I chose the Punjab as an exemplification of his
error because it presents the only complelje state
ment of Indian statistics within my reach. It j
sufficed to show the entirely fallacious conclusions
he,had arrived at, and necessarily to discredit his
hasty generalization upon the rest of India. The
money value of a bushel of wheat may be 6s. in
England and Is. in India, but the 601b. of which it
consists is in either case exactly the same in food
power. That is the measure of its value to the con-
j sumer, whether in the Punjab or in any other pro-
| vince of India. My argument is that, after con
verting into money all that the State requires,
there is shown by the returns from the Punjab a
surplus which in ordinary years much more than
suffices to feed her population,
; Mr. Hyndman objects that I limited myself to
the land revenue. It was that on which he chiefly
dwelt, and 1 accepted his own figures in valuing ,
the produce. But the margin admits of all the in- I
crease he requires. Let us take the charge as he
puts it at one-third of the wheat crop, and let us
deduct the seed at 10 per cent., we have left 10|
bushels of 601b. each of corn for the sustenance ol
each individual of the population. Our eminent
authority, Mr. J. B. Lawes, estimates the con
sumption of the people of England at 5-| bushels of
wheat a head, so that with nearly twice that
quantity the people of the Punjab ought to have
something to spare for their cattle.
But I do know so much of agriculture as nqfc to
have omitted the cattle from my consideration.
Besides the 22,000,000 of " cultivated " atfres,
there are also returned 20,000,000 of " culturaMe "
and 25,000,000 of " uncultivated " acres—upwards
of 40,000,000 acres altogether, upon which the
cattle in countless numbers may in that climate
; roam all the year at little cost to their owners.
Those that come to the stall are fed on the broken
straw and ears that have escaped the rude treading
■ out of the corn in the simple husbandry of that
country. I have reckoned nothing on the profit
which may arise from live stock so cheaply fed.
Whether great or small, when added to the money
value of the 2-,261,800 acres of marketable articles
other than corn enumerated in my last letter, which
are grown for export and not for consumption, the
ryot of the Punjab would appear to have a solid
surplus such as the Russian peasant, with his six
months of snow, or the cottier farmer nearer home,
, might well envy.
I am not concerned to defend our management in
India, which is probably far from faultless. But
a plausible and sensational attack upon it, such as
Mr. Hyndman's, deserves exposure.
C.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—May i venture to trespass on your space for a few
words in reference to your leading article of this morning ? t
My comparison is made not between English and native
rule, but between the English rule under the Crown and
that under the old East India Company. I firmly believe
' that there has been no such good administration in India
since the days of Akbar as there was in some of the " non-
regulation " districts under the Company. It is to this
form of government, with necessary modifications, that i
* desire to see us return as far as possible. It was in con
firmation of Mr. Grant Duff's estimate of £300,000,000 for
the total produce of India—agricultural and manufactured
#1 —that I availed myself of Mr. Dadabhai Naoroji's careful
and laborious calculations. This estimate was also followed
by Lord Mayo, and it should be remembered that the as
sessments are based upon the money value of the crops.
Will you permit me also to say that I am^strongly op
posed to our withdrawal from the country ? This, as you
justly remark, could scarcely fail to be followed by
anarchy. What, in my humble judgment, is absolutely
essential at the present time is a large reduction in the ex
penditure on the army and a suspension of public works;
the economical drain, which you admit should be brought
down to the lowest point by a steady but gradual substitu-
tion of trained natives for Europeans in every department,
including the railways. The first step I cannot but think
should be the re-establishment of a European force in
India on the basis of the old Indian amy. This would, at
any rate, tend to check the growth of the enormous home
military charges. I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Octobers, ■ H. M. HYNDMAN.
ENGLAND AND CABUL.
RUSSIAN VIEWS AND PLANS.
DEFENSIVE MEASURES.
MOVEMENTS IN CASHMERE.
[BY INDO-EUEOPBAN TELEGRAPH.]
[from our special correspondent,]
PERA, Tuesday Night.
Some Russian officers of rank who have just
arrived at Philippopolis from Central Asia
openly affirm that, notwithstanding all official
denial, a complete understanding exists be
tween* Russia and Shere AH ; that several thou
sands of Muscovite troops are already on the
| frontier; and that war will ensue between
; Russia and Great Britain.
They also state that a feeling of deep hatred
exists in the bosom of every Russian officer
against England, and they openly boast that
the latter Power has lost its prestige in India,
and will be driven out of the country by-
Russian agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. .
I am officially authorised to contradict the in
telligence from Constantinople, published in the
Politische Correspondenz, and telegraphed to you
by your Vienna Correspondent, which appeared
in The Daily Telegraph of Oct. 1, to the effect
that a secret envoy of the Ameer was instructed
| to claim the Sultan's intervention to prevent
England declaring war against Afghanistan ; to
convince the Sultan that an alliance with Russia
was advisable; and that his Majesty had sent a
secret embassy to Afghanistan to sound the
Mussulman population of Central Asia as to a
Pan-Islamite league against England as well as
the Czar.
The whole story is a gross fabrication.
[BY DAILY TELEGRAPH SPECIAL WIRE.]
[from our own correspondent,] "
VIENNA, Tuesday Night.
A correspondent writes from Teheran that,
according to intelligence received in that city
from Herat, the Russian mission at Cabul pur
poses visiting all the important localities in
Afghanistan, on the pretext of studying their
industrial and commercial resources, but in
reality to sound the disposition of the inhabit
ants. The Russians take every advantage of
their present opportunity to ascertain full par
ticulars concerning the country and the people.
The war flotilla on the Sea of Aral has recently
been considerably increased. The Russians'
have also beguq to fortify the Kashgar frontier.
On the other hand the Emir of Beloochistan,
who is the sworn friend of the Anglo-Indian
! Government, has entrusted the organisation of
: his army to .English officers, although the people
| themselves are opposed to an alliance with a
1 Christian Power. In case of an Anglo-Afghan
war, the Emir's army Would be of signal service
to England.
[from a correspondent.]
CALCUTTA, OCT. 8.
Under the authority of the supreme Govern
ment, the troops of the Cashmere Maharajah have
occupied the Baroghil and Karambar Passes,
north-west of Cashmere,
The Baroghil Pass, the height of which is
12,000 feefc, is generally supposed to be the
lowest of the depressions leading over the Hindu
Kush from the basin of the Oxns into that of
the Indus. The ascent on either side of the
pass is so gentle as to be practicable for laden
carts. It is about 360 miles from the Baroghil
Pass to Srinagar, the capital of Cashmere, and
the route, which goes by Yassin and Gilgit, :
though closed by snow for about six months in
the year, is commonly traversed during the sum
mer by laden ponies, and is used by the Maha
rajah's troops, according to Mr. Drew.- Of the
more eastern Karambar Pass we know but little
beyond the brief reconnaissance made by
Captain Biddulph a few years since. Both
these passes have an exceptional importance in
the fact that they constitute the gateways of
India on the side where the Russian frontier
may be expected to touch our own at no distant
date. At the present moment the Bouthern
Pamir divides the two empires.