INDIA IN ALARM.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 225, 28 June 1872, Page 3

INDIA IN ALARM.

Ever since the assassination of Lord Mayo disquieting rumours have prevailed more or less throughout the country. In tho north-west provinces they have been cspecial’v numerous, and especially' degrading. The news of the assassination of Lord Mayo was hardly two days old before wc were sickened with false reports of other assassinations. One after the other almost every lcadingindividual in these provinces, Oudli, and the Punjaub was announced to have fallen a victim to Mussulman conspiracy, the rumour-maniacs descending, when the higher offices were exhausted, to Superintendents of Police and Joint Magistrates. On inquiry each and all of these rumours proved, in succession, to be without any foundation, and at last the intelligent portion of the community heard of new horrors with almost as much amusement as disgust. One canard in parFcular wo should mention, the alleged attempt by a khidmutgar on the life of the General commanding this division, and would congratulate, not tho General, for of couse he never ran any danger, but the fabricator of that rumour on his escape. We endeavoured in vain to establish his indcntit.v. Had we done so to our satisfaction, we should have celebrated him in our very largest type. After a while, however, the assassination mania wore itself out, and Lieutenant-Governors, chief commissioners and generals were allowed to live. But auothersetin—the maniathat the state was in danger from a great conspiracy, which would very soon come to a head in an armed revolt. Those who put this stupid nonsense into circulation were, however, divided among themsevles as to tho exact quarter from which the peril impended, and Kook ns and Wahabees shared with Mussuhnen in general the evil reputation of rebels. On one point, however, there was agreement. It was certain that the 15th of March was to see a revolt. But there was the Mohurrum to come, so the date was postponed to the 19th and 20th. Those days passed in exceptional enlm. But was there not the 15th of (Jhail yet to come, and is it not well known that in December last a seditious letter wasreeived from Medina and read by order in every Ecdgah in India, to the effect that on the loth day of the first moon of Chait the empire of the British in India was to be shaken to its fall by a tremendous uprising of the people, to commence in the Punjaub and flash hence through every hamlet in India ? This date has now passed, and still the country is in profound peace ! Are the persons who fabricated these idocics ashamed of themselves ? We can assure them that they have been very effectual to bring shame upon the English name. But the propagation of alarmist rumours is not only disgraceful, it is a source of public danger. Such obstinate distrust may in time make those, really our enemies who now are none ; and if we persist in appearing frightened the most timid of subjects may be betrayed into a factitious audacity.— Pioneer.