Page:Lord Amherst and the British Advance Eastwards to Burma.djvu/167

Rh terms of commendation of the army and its commander in Ava.

Later, in August 1826, when Lord and Lady Amherst were mourning for the recent loss of their beloved son, 'arrived a letter from Mr. Wynn to Lord Amherst of very satisfactory character.'

We are able fortunately to print the (as yet unpublished) letter in which the Great Duke gives characteristically precise expression to his views:—

', 10 October, 1825.

'Since I wrote to you at Sudbourn, I have put together my opinions, formed after perusal of the papers on the Mutiny in India, of which papers I send you a copy.

'I don't see how it is possible to find fault with Lord Amherst upon any part of this transaction. The acts or the omissions of his Government did not occasion the mutiny; it was put down in the field by the Commander-in-Chief in person, into which field the Commander-in-Chief was forced to go by the mutineers, and the consequences which followed are those of trial, condemnation, and punishment.

'But it is pretended that Lord Amherst ought to have pardoned the criminals, and to have remitted the sentence of working upon the roads, because it is stated (but I don't know where) that the arms of the mutineers were not loaded.

'I would beg leave to recommend to the Government here to allow those upon the spot in India to judge of the