opinion was not confined to India-that it was general. When, therefore, I was asked to continue and complete the history I replied that I would do so only on the condition that the continuation should begin from the termination of Sir John Kaye's second volume, thus ignoring the third. This was agreed to. In performing this task the plan of my narrative has been very much affected by the necessity of adhering as much as possible to the general scheme of Sir John Kaye's work. Naturally, I should have preferred to be free to form a grouping after my own taste. But this was impossible. I have, however, deviated from the arrangement sanctioned by Sir John Kaye in his third volume, in so far that I have left for the fourth volume the account of the storming of Dehlí, while I have included in the third the story of the first relief of Lakhnao. It appeared to me that such an arrangement was absolutely essential to the harmony of the narrative. The first so-called relief of Lakhnao was not really a relief. It was in truth a reinforcement of the garrison. It did not deal, as did the capture of Dehlí, a deadly and a fatal blow to the rebellion. The siege of the Residency still continued after it had been effected. It seems therefore rightly included in a volume which records the progress of the mutiny. At the same time, transferring to the fourth volume the account of the storming of Dehlí, that volume will be devoted mainly to the history of the downfall and crushing of the great rebellion. It will be seen that I differ entirely from Sir John Kaye as to the wisdom of the action of the Government of India in the early days of the mutiny. I have given my reasons. They were formed on the spot twenty-one years ago. Further examination has confirmed them. One word as to the authorities on which this history rests. It is based on letters, journals, and official documents, written at the time-in 1857. I have ever distrusted, and I distrust, documents penned from memory after a lapse of twenty-one years. To the dead, as well as to the living, justice must be rendered. Such justice can only be dealt by the historian who shall carefully peruse letters and journals-not meant for publication-written at the time; who shall subject these to a rigid examination; and who shall then conscientiously and impartially record the judgment formed upon that examination. To do this I have devoted all my energies. During the whirl of action, amid the distracting influences of the passing exigencies of the hour, it is not always possible to be impartial. The time has now arrived when the task of dealing out severe and strict justice to all may be attempted. In the process it is inevitable that men who may have been unduly exalted may be relegated to a lower place, whilst modest and neglected merit will be moved up higher. But my aim, my hope, my earnest desire, has been and is to render to all as they have deserved. The fourth volume, containing the fall of Dehlí and the movements of the Dehlí force; the holding of the Residency and subsequently of the A'lambagh by Sir James Outram; the capture of Lakhnao and the crushing of the rebellion in Oudh by Sir Colin Campbell-afterwards Lord Clyde; the Central Indian campaign of Sir Hugh Rose (now Lord Strathnairn); and the daring achievements of Sir Robert Napier (now Lord Napier of Magdála),—will appear in the first quarter of 1879. One word as to the spelling of proper names. I have adopted the modern system, that of spelling words in English as they are spelt in the language of Hindústán. When it is con sidered that by the barbarous method, or rather no-method, hitherto in force the sense of the names is utterly lost, I cannot think that the system I have adopted will be regarded as a harmful innovation. Take, for instance, the place usually known as Cawnpore. Spelt in that way the name is absolutely without signification. But spelt in the way in which it is written by the Hindús, Kánhpúr, the meaning becomes at once apparent. Kánh is a name for Krishna; Púr stands for a city. The entire word signifies city of Krishna." For the convenience of those accustomed to the old method I append a glossary of the proper names I have employed, spelt according to both systems, and ranged in alphabetical order. 66 27 West Cromwell Road. 1 May 1878. G. B. MALLESON. |