CHAP. XVI.

LORD MAYO'S CHARACTER.

389

of steps which he had just three years previously ascended full of strength and hope to take charge of his high office. He was then carried into the chamber where only a month before his voice had been daily heard. The burial service was there read before his widow, the members of his staff, his councillors and a few others. A more solemn and impressive scene could not be imagined for us who stood in the very place which was full of the freshest associations relating to his life and actions, where we seemed almost to breathe his presence, and hear the echo of his latest utterances. Then the coffin lay in state for several days in the throne-room, where he had held so many public and private receptions, until it was taken with due ceremony on board a ship of war to be conveyed to Ireland.

In November 1868 the Prime Minister, Mr. Disraeli, said: "Upon the Earl of Mayo, for his sagacity, for his judgment, for his fine temper and his knowledge of men, Her Majesty has been pleased to confer the office of Viceroy of India. I believe he will earn a reputation that his country will honour."

This is a complete as well as concise description of Lord Mayo's character, and the prediction with which it concludes has been abundantly realized. Besides the qualities pourtrayed above, he displayed the energy of an administrator and the capacity of a statesman. At every time and place he made fast friends, whether in the study, the council-chamber, the hunting-field, the social gathering. When sudden death overtook him, he had reached the rare height occupied by those regarding whom all men speak well.

CHAPTER XVII.

(1872-1874.)

LORD NORTHBROOK AND THE BENGAL FAMINE.

State of public opinion after the death of Lord Mayo-Lord Napier acts as Governor-General-The financial budget-Riots in the Panjab-Lord Northbrook assumes charge of the Government of India-Voyages down the Indus and visits Bombay-Remission of the income-tax-Drought in Behar and northern Bengal-Importation of grain by Government— Organization of transport-Character and extent of famine-Estimate prepared beforehand of cost to be incurred in relief-Employment of distressed poor and gratuitous succour to the infirm-Reserve of Government grain-Public criticism on relief measures-Native opinion thereon.

AFTER the assassination of Lord Mayo, the administration of India went on as usual without the break of a single hour. The members of the Government, though shocked and deeply moved, felt the importance of preserving a calm front before the Native public. From the moment of Lord Mayo's death, Lord Napier (now Lord Napier and Ettrick) the Governor of Madras became by law the head of the Government of India pro tempore. Until his arrival at Calcutta, the senior member of the Council, Sir John Strachey, assumed, also according to law, the functions of Governor-General. A few days afterwards the King of Siam who had been visiting India, and had recently received hospitable attention from Lord Mayo at the capital, returned to Calcutta on his way home. Strachey received him at the top of the flight of stairs, and in a few well-chosen words declared that the Government of India, while mourning for its lost Head, nevertheless preserved the tenour of its course uninterrupted.

Nevertheless there was anxiety in the inner thoughts of the Government, and much agitation in the public mind. Though

CHAP. XVII.

DISTURBANCES IN THE PANJAB.

391

the excitement was suppressed it remained for some weeks, so to speak, in a sub-acute stage. The Hindu section of the population at Calcutta is trustworthy, and many excellent Muhammadans also are to be found there. Yet at that time several centres of Muhammadan disloyalty and treason existed at the capital, and whole classes of Muhammadans were ready for mischief, in a more or less aggravated form according to opportunity. There is always a fear at such times, lest one successful crime acquiring an infamous celebrity, should lead to the commission of other crimes. Accordingly the strict precautions, already mentioned in the last chapter, were maintained; providentially, however, nothing occurred.

Shortly afterwards, Lord Napier arrived from Madras, and became temporarily the head of the Government of India. At that moment, the preparations were being made for the financial budget which I had to lay before him. Thereupon he applied himself to finance with the utmost assiduity, and the result in regard to the budget has been already mentioned in the previous chapter XV.

He had to deal with one affair, the issue of which is worthy to be remembered. A disturbance, partly religious and partly political in its character, arose in the Panjab, in the districts near the river Satlej. Its originators were quite infatuated, and mad in their conception, ostensibly looking for some prophet to come, while their real design was to raise an insurrection against British rule. The fact that fanatical enthusiasts at a period of general peace should dream of braving the British Government in the plenitude of its power, was very significant to reflective statesmen. Moreover, the trouble for a brief moment seemed to spread like wildfire in a dry forest during the summer heat. It was immediately put down by the authorities with vigour and promptitude; and during the course of these repressive measures, a number of prisoners were taken in flagrante delicto, having been participators in the outbreak, but not otherwise proved to be guilty of heinous crime. Thereupon. a civil officer belonging to the Uncovenanted Service, caused them to be executed on the spot, no doubt believing in good

faith that this extreme severity was necessary, under the supposed emergency of the circumstances. His conduct was, as might be expected, immediately called into question; and the Government of the Panjab, though disapproving this action, nevertheless thought that under the circumstances it need not be visited by more than severe censure. The Government of India however, after full consideration, held that the execution was not justifiable on the ground of emergent circumstances which had actually ceased when it took place, the insurrection having been just suppressed; that good faith could not be pleaded as an excuse for an indiscriminate and unlawful execution; that the moral effect of such proceedings upon the country would be bad, unless an example were set; and that the officer must be removed from the service of the Government.

Lord Northbrook arrived at Calcutta in May, 1872, and assumed the office of Viceroy and Governor-General. He possessed a greater knowledge of finance, and the several subjects cognate to it, than any Governor-General who ever landed in India. The financial policy which he adopted, so far as it affected the budget of the following year, has been explained in chapter XV. The remission of the income-tax brought to his Government much popular approval among the European community and the middle as well as the upper classes of the Natives. After sojourning for a brief time at Simla, he proceeded on a voyage down the Indus, holding on the way a reception at Multan for the Native chiefs of the Derajat or southern TransIndus territory. In Sind he met the Khan of Khelat and settled many political affairs with that chief. From Karachi he went by sea to Bombay, and there held with due ceremony a levée for the princes and chiefs of western and central India.

Major Evelyn Baring, R.A., as Private Secretary to the Governor-General, displayed an ability equal to that of his most distinguished predecessors in this important office. He afterwards filled a difficult post in Egypt, and then became Finance Minister of India.

In legislative business there was a slight lull for a time, as Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, already mentioned in chapter XVI.,

CHAP. XVII.

FAMINE IN BENGAL.

393

had departed, and Mr. (now Sir Arthur) Hobhouse had succeeded him in the responsible office of legislative member of the Governor-General's Council. Hobhouse was already known as an author upon some branches of law, and had held several important public posts in England. He soon won his way in public as well as official esteem in India, and while steadily promoting the large measures begun by his predecessors, took every suitable opportunity of proposing additional laws when necessary. There never had been any valid reason for the complaints often made regarding over-legislation. But the most sensitive critics in this respect were obliged to admit that Hobhouse displayed judicious moderation as well as professional skill and statesmanlike ability.

During the autumn of 1873, reports were received from the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, Sir George Campbell, to the effect that the usual rains had failed, and that danger of famine threatened, though there was hope that seasonable showers might yet come at the eleventh hour to save the crops. We, the members of the Government, were then at Simla preparing to return to Calcutta for the winter. Before proceeding thither, I was about to pay, according to custom, a flying visit to some distant parts of the empire in order to master current affairs relating to finance. I had entered a railway-carriage at Amballa, and the train was about to start, when I received a telegraphic message from Lord Northbrook saying that he had just received worse news from Bengal, and requesting me to accompany him immediately to Calcutta, which I did.

After arriving at Calcutta and conferring with the LieutenantGovernor and the local authorities, we found that in most parts of Behar and northern Bengal, the summer crop of rice had been short in yield, and the autumnal or principal crop was failing altogether, while the seed sown for the coming spring harvest was not likely to germinate by reason of the drought. This disaster affected 20 millions of people in a greater or less degree. The supply of grain was known to be scanty in these particular territories consequent on exportation in former years. In many of the remaining districts of Bengal, the yield of the harvest was