THE INDIAN MUTINY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13638, 4 July 1908, Page 6

THE INDIAN MUTINY.

An exceedingly Interesting lecture on the Indian Mutiny of 1857 was given in-Chal-mers Hall last evening by the He v. D. Hewitson, of • Knox Church, Bunedin, to an audience that filled the v hall. Mr iiewitson lias visited "India, and the scenes of the chief events of the great national tragedy and therefore was able to speak with the confidence of personal knowledge of the fine photographs, of city scenes and historic ruins which were excellently shown by Mr Hardy, and Mr Hewitson had made himself familiar with the characters of the numerous heroes of tlig,. mutiny whose portraits were also shown. By means of a map shown first he explained that the great' mutiny affected only a small portion of iidia, aridthen he proceeded to tell the story of the three great centres of the revolt, Delhi, Uawnpore and Lucknow, with the three principal phases in each case, of mutiny, siege and relief, and he told it in a manner calculated to make a lasting impression upon at all events the younger portion of the audience who were listening to - the story for the first time. And those who had been familiar with it when they were boys and girls—a while ago—were reminded of leading incidents in an interesting way. Not-the least interesting portion of the leoturewas a brief reference t-o the state of the British army and of British thought iu India just prior to the mutiny. The system of promotion by seniority had been the rule, consequently the heads of the army were all old menlndia had enjoyed a century of peace, consequently these old generals had imbibed an immovable faith in the loyalty of the native army. ISome of them would not believe that a general rising wa6 in progress even after it had well begun. The causes of the rising were also briefly mentioned: The offence given to both Hindu and ■ Mahommadon soldiers by the issue of cartridges (the' old muzzle-loaders of course) greased with the fat of cows and pigs; . then, preying upon the ignorance of the people by the' discontented, who- told them foolish lies they greedily swallowed about the decay of the British nation; and fanatical hopes of reversing the conquest that was completed by the battle of Plassy just a century before. This aspiration-must have had cbnsiderable weight with the deluded people, because the leaders of the mutiny arranged that it should be commenced on the centenary of that great defeat. Rev. Mr Guthrie who had introduced £he lecturer, in proposing a vote of thanks, expressed tie great pleasure of the audience in the intellectual t-ren.fc had been given by Mr Hewitson, and the vote was carried by acclamation. Thanks were also accorded-, to Messrs -Alexander and Dalglish for martial eongs, and tile lecturer thanked Mr Hardy for his skilful nw-nt of the lantern.