Lord Curzon has issued an admirable General Order. A native
woman was recently outraged by some European soldiers in Rangoon, and all efforts to obtain justice were frustrated. The officers, ashamed that such a stigma should be cast upon their regiment, showed " apathy " in their investigation, and when the men were tried, the evidence was insufficient. The men concerned have been dismissed, and it has been proposed at Indian headquarters to visit the apathetic officers with severe disciplinary measures ; but as the necessity of referring to England may cause delay, the Governor-General has taken the unusual step of addressing the Empire. He "desires to place upon record the sense of profound horror and repugnance that has been felt by the Government of India at the incident in question." "That the offence itself should have been committed under the conditions that have been publicly disclosed is revolting ; but it is scarcely less regrettable that the efforts which were made to detect and to punish the offenders by the processes of military and civil inquiry should have resulted in complete failure, owing in the main to the negligence and apathy that were displayed in responsible quarters in the earlier stages of the investigation. These matters will be made the subject of official action." The Viceroy is entrusted with almost sovereign powers, and it is to be regretted that any etiquette whatever should prevent him in emergent cases from doing immediate and severe justice. The natives of India are well aware that crimes will occasionally occur. What they ask of their rulers is to punish at once and sternly any of their agents whose negligence or whose favouritism prevents justice being done. Happily, the case is rare in India.
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