THE INDIAN PRESS. (Hansard, 6 April 1852)

§ The EARL of ELLENBOROUGH

said: My Lords, I wish to take this opportunity of making one or two observations which I refrained from making last night from a reluctance to detain your Lordships, Those observations arise out of the speech of my noble Friend opposite in reference to the war with Ava. My noble Friend at the head of the Government stated last night the intentions of the Governor General, in the military operations now going forward against the Burmese Government, and likewise the substance of two communications made by the Governor General to that Government. I feel it necessary to state to your Lordships that those intentions of the Governor General with regard to those military operations, and the substance of both those communications to the Burmese Government, were published in the Indian newspapers a month ago. A fortnight, at least, before these military operations were commenced, their nature and their object, the points against which they were to be directed, and the intentions of the Government to withdraw the troops before the rainy reason commenced, must all be well known, through these Indian newspapers, to the Burmese Government. My Lords, this constant, inveterate vice in the administration of the affairs of India, must be absolutely eradicated. It is essential to the credit of the Government, it is essential to the safety of the army, that complete secrecy should be observed on all their movements. I know all the difficulties that the several Governors General have had to contend with in preserving that necessary secrecy. Your Lordships can hardly form a notion of the extent to which the secrecy—even of State documents—of the intentions of the Indian Government is, I might almost say, universally betrayed. When I arrived at Madras, on my way to Calcutta, I saw in a Bombay newspaper one or two paragraphs respecting the war with China. These paragraphs, my Lords, I recognised as having proceeded from my own pen—as being a part of my own instructions for the conduct of the war—instructions which were written by me, when at the Board of Control. I sent for those instructions; and I found that those paragraphs in the Bombay newspapers stated not merely the substance, but every word: nay, my Lords, 777 that one to which I now refer had been so evidently copied from the original document that a literal error which had crept into the original, was also in the copy in the Bombay newspaper. The original I had in my own hands. I will mention another circumstance. About a fortnight after my arrival in India I received a report from the General commanding Lower Sinde, who was then about to advance to Candahar. He stated, in the most minute details, the positions in which he intended to place the troops in Sinde, and the strength of every detachment which was to occupy those positions severally. The whole of that important document giving this important information was conveyed to the enemy, for it was published in a Bombay newspaper three days before it was received in Calcutta. My Lords, no Government can possibly conduct the affairs of a great empire, especially in time of war, without incurring the greatest perils, if they are to be subjected to these betrayals of public confidence. I will mention another instance. About three months after my arrival in India, I thought it necessary to remain at Allahabad, at a great distance from the Commander-in-Chief, who was so much nearer to the army then in the field. I was not then so conversant as I afterwards became with military affairs, and I thought it expedient to give a discretionary power to the Commander-in-Chief to direct that the forces should remain at Jelalabad, or should retire, as he might think fit. My Lords, every particular of that order was, by means of private letters, known in the camp before the General could possibly give instructions for carrying out the measures the Commander-in-Chief had directed him to adopt. After that, my Lords, I determined that the knowledge of no military movements whatever should leave my own breast until the time of execution had arrived;' and from that hour no man in India but my own private secretary and my two aides-de-camp knew of the directions given or the contents of my letters; and by that secrecy so preserved, various military operation were conducted to a successful issue, and with a small loss of men. Through this want of secrecy, my Lords, although the object in view may be effected, it is frequently effected with a greater sacrifice of human life. Now, in the present case, the Governor General of India, being at Calcutta, cannot take the measures which I took, being then in the field at a distance from the Council. All the orders of the Government in Calcutta must be known 778 to all the Members of the Council, and to their Secretaries. I do most earnestly recommend to my noble Friend at the head of the Government, by the next mail which sails to India, to call the attention of the Governor General in Council to this scandalous betrayal of public confidence, and to tell him, that any measures which may be necessary to extirpate this evil, and to preserve the necessary secrecy as to the measures of the Indian Government, will receive the full and cordial support of the Government at home, even though it should involve the instant removal of any man, whatever his rank, who holds office under the Government of India.