ENGLISH CASTE IN INDIA.

Western Star, Issue 930, 14 March 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

ENGLISH CASTE IN INDIA.

Xc will hardly be credited in England, but in this present year of grace, 18445, no hotel-keeper in India dares receive a native guest into his house, not on account of. any ill-will of his own, but through fear of losing his custom. When I was at Bombay in winter I was. treated with the greatest kindness and attention by various members of the native community, and by none more so than by Mohammed Ali liogay the leading Mohammedan of /the city. He bad travelled in Europe, dressed in European dress, and had even so far adopted our manners as to subscribe to all the public charities and to drive a four in : hand. Yet, happening one day to ask him to dine with me at ray hotel, it was explained to me that this could not be, at least not in the public -oom, “ lest the English guests should take offence and leave the houst'i*’ In Bengal and Northern India things are still worse, and I think it is not too much to say that no native gentleman, whatever his rank, age, or character may be, can visit a place of public resort frequented by Englishmen, (Specially if be be in native dress, without a certain risk of insult and rough treatment. Railway travelling is notoriously dangerous for them in this respect, and nearly all my native acquaintances had tales to tell of abuse from English fellow-passen-gers and of having been turned out their places by the guards to accommodate these, and now and then of having been personally ill-treated and knocked about. Meuof high position, therefore, or self-respect, are obliged either to secure before-band special compartments for t]ieir use, or to travel third-class.— Fortnightly Mevieu)>