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90 man he really was. He telegraphed to the Governor of Bombay, Lord Elphinstone, to hasten, as far as he could, the return of the troops due in Bombay from the completed campaign against Persia. He telegraphed to the Commander-in-Chief to 'make short work of Dehlí.' He transmitted to the Chief Commissioner of the Panjáb, Sir John Lawrence, full powers to act according to the best of his judgment. Not only did he countermand the return of the 84th to Rangoon, but he sent for a second regiment from that place and from Moulmein. He wrote to the Governor of Madras, Lord Harris, to send him two regiments. More than that, recollecting that a combined military and naval expedition was on its way from England to China, to support there, by force of arms, the pretensions of the British, he took upon himself the responsibility of despatching a message to Lord Elgin and General Ashburnham to intercept that expedition, and to beg them to despatch the troops under their orders with all possible speed to India.

Having summoned those reinforcements, Lord Canning took a searching glance at the actual situation. The sudden outbreak at Mírath must have brought to his mind the conviction that he might have to meet a general rising of the Bengal army. What resources had he in his hand, not counting the troops he had summoned to his aid, to meet such a general rising? A glance at those resources was not calculated to inspire confidence. Between Calcutta and Dánápur there were no English regiments. At Calcutta and in its vicinity were the 53d and the 84th. At Dánápur was the 10th Foot. Stretching north-westward from Dánápur, the eye rested on Banáras, with no English regiment, and but a few English gunners. At Allahábád, with its important fortress, the same state of things. The same likewise at Kánhpur,