THE VASTNESS OF INDIA.
Foe eight years at least writers have endeavoured to bring home to the outside world a knowledge of the vastness of India, but so far as can be perceived have failed. The average mau (says the Fortnightly Review) reads what they say, learns up their figures, tries to understand their descriptions, but fails, for all his labour, to realise what India is—a continent large as Europe west of the Vistula, and with 30 million more people, fuller of ancient nations, of great cities,, of varieties of civilisation, of armies, nobilities, priesthoods,org inisations of every conceivable purpose, from the of great religions down to systematic murder. There are twice as many Bengalese as there are Frenchmen; theHindostanese, properly so called, outnumber the whites in the United States ; the Mahrattas would fill Spain ; the peopie of the Punjaub, with Scinde, are double the population of Turkey, and I have named only four of the more salient divisions. Everything is on the same bewildering scale. The fighting people of ludia, whose males are as big as ourselves, number at least 120,000,000, equal to Gibbon's calculation of the population of fhe Roman Empire. There are 400,000 trained brown soldiers in the native service, of whom we hear perhaps once in 10 years, and 2,000,000 men who think that their proper profession is arms, who would live by arms if they could, and of whom we in England never hear a word. If the Prussian conscription were applied to India we should without counting reserves or landwehr, or any force not summoned in time of peace, have 2,600,000 soldiers actually in barracks, with 800,000 recruits coming up every year—a force with which not only Asia but the whole world might be subdued. There are ten millions of prosperous peasants whose hoardings make of India the grand absorbent of the precious metals, tens of millions of peasants besides whoso poverty fellahs, or Sicilians, or Connaugbt men are rich ; millions of
artisans, ranging from those build palaces, to tho man who, neurly naked and without tools, do the humblest work of the potter. Evory occupation which exists in Europe exists in India. The industry of the vast continent uever ceases, for India, with a population in places packed beyond European precedent, imports nothing to eat or drink, but for the Europeans would import nothing whatever. She i* sufficient to herself for everything save silver. Amid these varied masses, these 250,000,000, whose varied descriptions would fill volumes, the yde of life flows as vigorously as in Europe. There is as much labour, as much contention, as much ambition, as much crime, as much variety of careers, hopes, fears, and hatred". It is possible to a moneyless Indian to become Vizier of ,i dynasty older than history, or Finance Minister of a new Prince whoso personal fortune iu hard cash is double that o-f tho late Emperor William, or abbot of a monastery richer than Ghstonbury ever was, owner of an estiti! ihitt covers a ccinty, head of a firm wlio.-o transactions may vie with those of the Buings of Bleichrorlers. One man, Jnle Pershad by name, fed and transported the army which conquered the Punjaub.
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Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2549, 10 November 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)
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531THE VASTNESS OF INDIA. Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2549, 10 November 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)
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