For my own part, I am firmly resolved to put down with promptitude and severity any attempt at disturbance which may be made in any part of India, and I do not care how generally my determination on this point is known.  I shall pursue this policy, not because I fear for the stability of our empire in the East, but because tranquillity is essential to the progress of the country, and because lenity to the guilty originators of such machinations leads invariably to the severest punishment and suffering of misguided followers.

* * * * *

    To Sir Charles Wood.

    Calcutta, June 17th, 1862.

[Sidenote:  Groundless alarms at Delhi.]

The follies which are committed by the military panicmongers in the North-west are very vexatious, and pregnant with mischief of all kinds....  I made up my mind yesterday to set off in person and go straight to Delhi, if the thing goes on.  As a rising of troops against us in places where the Europeans have all the artillery, and at least equal the native forces in number, is rather too strong a dose even for the weakest nerves, the stock in trade now is the existence of designs for the assassination of Europeans....  These topics are probably the conversation at every mess-table, indulged in before the native servants, who would be the agents in such plots if they were to be carried out.  It is a remarkable fact that, although secret murder by poison and otherwise is not unknown among natives between themselves, as directed against Europeans, it is, I believe, almost entirely unexampled.  It is not impossible, however, that constant discussions on the subject may familiarise the native mind with the idea.

But talking is not all.  The commanding officer at Agra has acted on these suspicions, and, in the face of the native population, taken extraordinary precautions on the assumption that the wells are poisoned.  We have no report as yet on the subject.  All we know is from the newspapers; but of the fact, I fear, there can be little doubt.  If there be disaffected persons in that locality (and no doubt there are many such), it will be strange indeed if they do not profit by so broad a hint.  Then again, this panic beginning with the officers spreads to the men.  Some cases of terrorism have occurred at Delhi which are a disgrace to our race.  And of course we know what follows.  Cowardice and cruelty being twins, the man who runs terror-stricken into his barrack to-night because he mistook the chirp of a cricket for the click of a pistol, indemnifies himself to-morrow by beating his bearer to within an inch of his life.

All this is very bad, and very difficult to control.  After the lesson of 1857 it will