and eight years of age. I hope never again
to see men, women, young girls, and boys, and
infant children, so huddled together that
those who escaped demoralisation ought to
have been exhibited as curiosities of the
human species. I hope never again to behold
white children, girls of thirteen years of age,
the offspring of British soldiers, married,
in order that they might remain in the
regiment.

"Surely," I once remarked to the colonel
of a Royal regiment in India, who made some
remarks on the painful topic last alluded to
—"Surely this might be obviated?"

"Yes, my good sir," was his reply. " But
it would cost this government an outlay of a
few thousands of rupees. A little while ago,
I had a battle with the government. I
insisted on having punkahs hung up in the
barracks, and I spoke in a tone so decided
that even the frowsy military board— composed
of several very old and feeble Company's
officers of the last century— was frightened
into something like activity. Well, sir, the
punkahs were suspended, and I fancied that
I had gained an immense triumph; but I
was very much mistaken. It was a case of,
'There are your punkahs, and now let your
men pull them, or employ the natives to do
so! ' So that the punkahs, after all, instead
of promoting a current of fresh air, impeded
it, and served only as perches for the flies
and cobweb-booms for the spiders. The idea
of the poor men paying for punkah coolies!"

"What would it cost to punkah the whole
regiment during the hot season? " I asked.

"I can tell you exactly," said the colonel:
"for I have made a correct estimate. The
cost for the five hot months would be under
three hundred pounds; and by laying out
this sum the Government would save some
three thousand or four thousand pounds
a-year, at the very least."

"How so?"

"Many men cannot bear the heat of these
barrack rooms, crowded as they are, and left
without punkahs. The consequence is, that
they become ill, go into hospital and die there,
or spend the greater part of their time there.
I should say that if the men had better
accommodation, and the same means as we
officers have of keeping their apartments
cool, we should save in every regiment fifty
lives annually. Now, every recruit who
comes from home and joins a regiment in the
Upper Provinces, to fill up a death or casualty
in the ranks, costs the Indian government a
hundred and ten pounds sterling. I have
pointed all this out, but it is of no use."

"I would report it to the Horse Guards,"
said I.

"I did so, two years ago."

"And what did the Horse Guards say, in
reply to your statements?"

"Precisely what the learned world said of
poor George Primrose's paradoxes— they said
nothing. They treated them with dignified
silence, and perhaps contempt. However, I
did not stop there. I went further."

"You addressed the Throne, or Prince
Albert?"

"No. I did not go so far as that. We
had just got the Albert hat out, and after a
careful examination of it, I came to the
conclusion that his Royal Highness would hardly
be disposed to give much ear to my complaint
touching the discomfort of the British troops
in India. But I wrote to an elder brother of
mine, who represents a borough in Parliament,
and I begged of him to bring under
the notice of the House of Commons, the
condition of the British soldier in India, and, move
for a report of the officers in command of the
various regiments doing duty in this country."

"And he did so, I hope?"

"Not he. He wrote to me to say that he
had never spoken in the House, and never
intended doing so, as he had not the faintest
ambition to become a public orator; but that
he had shown my letter to several friends of
his (members of Parliament), who would only
be too glad of an opportunity of bringing
themselves into notice; and that they, one and
all, blew upon it, remarking that the condition
of the British soldier in any part of the
world was a frightful bore; but that the condition
of the British soldier in the East was a bore
utterly beyond toleration. 'My dear George
(he went on to say to me), your story would
only be received with an ironical hear, hear,
followed by a series of coughs, as though the
subject had given the House a sudden chill
and a very bad cold. Even that garrulous
goose, Jamsey, to whom (in despair, and in
order to oblige you) I showed your letter—
even Jamsey, who is always ready to talk for
hours about everything or anybody, shrugged
his shoulders, shook his head, sighed, lifted
up his hands, groaned It won't do, and left me.
Find out some indigo-planter who has been,
or is supposed to be, guilty of some sort of
oppression towards a sable cultivator of the
soil, and we will pretty soon grind his bones
to make our bread, my boy; but, for Heaven's
sake, and the sake of the House of
Commons, don't inflict upon us your British
soldiers."

To leave the colonel, and express my further
hopes.— I hope to see, in every large station
throughout India, two Christian churches
erected—one for the Protestants and another
for the Roman Catholics. Both erected at
the expense of the Government. I hope to
see, also, in every large station, a library to
which every soldier, at stated hours, shall
have access. I hope to see soldiers' gardens—
such as the late Sir Henry Lawrence
recommended—in which the men may, when they
feel disposed, work, or amuse themselves
in the cold season. I hope to see a theatre
in every large station, built and kept in
repair; not by subscription from the poor men,
but at the cost of the State. I hope, in
fact, to see the British soldier in the East—