1 THE DELHI MANG@UVRES. 605
2 It was naturally to be expected that the collection and movements of so
3 large a force would cause destruction to the crops of the districts through
4 which they marched, and instructions were issued to the district officers of
5 the districts, which came within the scope of the manceuvres, to send
6 returns of the loss caused, for which liberal compensation was given by
7 Government.
8 The programme of the manceuvres was that the two armies should meet
9 at Pdnipat, north of Delhi, and that the southern, which was to be the
10 defending army, should be beaten and retreat on Delhi, defending it
11 against the northern, or investing army. Delhi was ultimately captured,
12 and the manceuvres ended in a grand review of all the troops comprising
13 the two armies, The northern force commenced its advance on the 30th
14 December, and came in contact with the southern force, as had been
15 arranged, at Pdnipit, the historical battle-field of western India, between
16 Karnal and Delhi. In this engagement the southern force offered a vigour-
17 ous resistance to the northern attack, but finally fell back rapidly on Delhi,
18 closely and vigorously pursued by the northern force. The latter army
19 advanced at an average rate of twenty-five miles daily, leaving behind their
20 transport and taking with them nothing but food for several days and a
21 small quantity of bedding. The hardships undergone by the armies were
22 great, especially as heavy rain fell along their route.
23 _ When the camp of exercise was first proposed, the neighbourhood of
24 Lahore was mentioned as the probable scene of operations, but it was subse-
25 quently abandoned in favour of the districts around Delhi, on the ground of
26 the scarcity of fodder.
27 For the first time in Indian history, representatives of foreign European
28 Powers visited India to witness the manceuvres of the British army. These
29 were Colonel Descharmes and Commandant de Torey the representa-
30 tives of France; Major Von Hagenow and Major Baron Von Hainingen of
31 Germany, Colonel Timber and Colonel Prince Odviewsky Malsoff of Russia;
32 Lieutenant-Colonel H, M. Lazelle, and Captain S. M. Mills, of the United
33 States of America, Brigadier-General Saletta and Captain Valleris of Italy
34 and Lieutenant-Colonel Prince Louis Esterhazi of Austria.
35 No army in the world contains so great a number of different races as the
36 British army in India.. No doubt a very beautiful spectacle was presented
37 to the foreign visitors by the variety and brilliancy of colouring and the
38 diversity of uniform ; but what these trained representatives of foreign Powers
39 chiefly regarded was the harmony and blending of the heterogeneous
40 elements.- They were interested in the spectacle, and wrote valuable
41 accounts of what they had seen of the might of the British in India. This
42 was the problem about which the military Governments of Europe especially
43 desired information. They knew that the British army had performed
44 miracles in India, that they had won battles against enormous odds, and had
45 snatched victory out of defeat. They knew that an army of native soldiers
46 had been formed that could be sent to distant shores and uphold British
47 prestige against savage foes ; and they recognised that the Indian army had
48 become an integral part of the disciplined forces of the British Empire. What
49 they desired to know was the value of this army when opposed to soldiers
50 of a European Power. The foreign representatives were men chosen for
51 their military fitness ; and it is to be hoped that they saw enough to convince
52 them that, not only the Indian army, but the Indian princes and chiefs are
53 Compensation for
54 losses to agriculture,
55 The programme,
56 Reason of the choice
57 of Delhi.
58 The representatives
59 of foreign European
60 powers present at this
61 military show.
62 What they recog-
63 nised in the spectacle,
64 able and prepared to resist to the last any invasion by a foreign Power, and .
65 that the British Empire in India is maintained, not only by her large and
66 disciplined army and lines of communication and fortresses, but also by the
67 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh J i eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com