INTERVIEW WITH SIR EDWARD BRADDON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 207, 6 September 1897, Page 5

INTERVIEW WITH SIR EDWARD BRADDON.

THIRTY YEARS IN INDIA

NO GROUND FOR ALARM

In view of the serious state of affairs on the Indian frontier a "Sydney Morning Herald" representative called upon Sir Edward Braddon, K.0.M.G., on Monday last, to obtain the benefit of his opinion of the situation. The Tasmanian Premier is an authority on Indian affairs. He has spent 30 years in the country, and has held both civil and military office. Entering the Indian Civil Service as a cadet in a mercantile house he rose to the rank of a Commissioner and Inspector-General of Registration in the Province of Bengal. At the time of the Indian Mutiny he raised a regiment which won special mention from the Acfing-Lieutenant-Governor. He has never been in Afghanistan, but has been on the outskirts of the country. He has had opportunities of studying* the character of the insurrectionary tribesmen of the frontier. He has seen them under arms and witnessed their prowess in war. From experience he knows what it is to hear a hillside crackle with musketry, and to see the rolling eye of an Afghan fanatic behind the gleam of steel.

Sir Edward can be with difficulty induced to speak of his own experience. He is mute in regard to his own exploits. Asked as to his view of the eously and frankly enough. It is not the view of an alarmist. The people of these different tribes, he says, are never satisfied unless they are at somebody. It is very difficult to get at them in return, and all that an army can do in the way of reprisal is to enter their country, go in among their fortresses, and destroy their scattered villages. The people who are causing the trouble—Swatis, Afridis, Orakzais and the rest—are all Afghans, and are practically of the same race. In as far as they can be said to be under anybody they are under the control of the Ameer.

Is there danger of disaffection spreading to the British India Army ?" Sir Edward was asked.

At present he did not think there was. "There are," he said, "a good number of these hillsmen in the British Army, but it is a peculiarity of theirs, scoundrels though they are, to be faithful to the flag while with it. You may have noticed that some of the men who are now- out deserted, but they did not do it while with the army. They went home first. If they" have a grudge against a brother soldier or officer, and if they entertain the idea of murdering this person, they go away, and then come back to carry out their purpose. While there 'was no sign of a

tendency toward?, disaffection in the British ' Army the example of the hillmen would not," Sir ' Edward thought, "have an appreciable effect. The s\ rrnpathy between them and the Indian troops was not great. " Ihave never felt any great alarm about the situation," he said. "This sort of thing has been going on as long- as I can remember India. There is more reason why it should go on now than before, because our frontier has been extended. We have made roads and railways and established forts where formerly the tribesmen had everything their own way. Twenty-five years ago our most advanced" line was Peshawur, and now we are far beyond that. "It is hcfpeless to think these people will ever settle down. There

is practicaly no reason why they should do so. They live by cnrryin'g about dried fruits and merchandise and travel with camels. They get these things at Cashmere, and in times of peace ride through India trafficking with them. They live a nomad life, and though they have improved on the tent stage oi' existence they have no settled abode. I "I noticed that the Afridis have : been beaten off and have announced their intention of lettirniug home by | September 15. I 'don't know why they should fix the date. It is not at all like them. If they ever did say they would return on" that date, the probability is that it was an Afghan trick. The word ot these people is not reliable. Mention was made of the attitude of the Ameer towards the disaffected hillmen. .Sir Edward said he did not apprehend danger from this source. He had not much faith in the Ameer, but did not think he was likely 1o take the responsibility upon himself of encouraging the rebels. The Ameer bad been at different times under the influence of Russia,'but this was not a question in regard to which Russian influence would prejudice British interests. In regard to the recently formed Russo-French treaty Sir I'.dward was asked if he thought that it was likely to lead to a more aggressive Russian policy. lie did not care to speak on that question. Aggression was not, however, Russia's policy at the present time. In any case, be thought the triple alliance of Germany, Autsria, and Italy, plus England, would more than suffice to keep the Russo-French combination in cheek.