THE PUNJAB DISTURBANCES.
ITO THE EDITOR OP THE SPECTATOR.")
Sea,—May I be permitted to point out to your correspondent, Sir James Wilson, that he mixes up " Martial Law " with "Duties in Aid of the Civil Power "? In the case of the former there are no regulations whatever laid down in the K.R. or anywhere else. "Martial Law" is no law, but has been defined as the will of the general, or other officer, in command. In other words, he has an absolutely free hand. On the other hand, under the heading of "Duties in Aid of the Civil Power " (KX. 948-968), it is laid down, among other things, that " the magistrate is to be present and that the Riot Act is to be read, if possible," that " the magistrate and officer are each respon- sible, respectively, for anything done or ordered by them which is not justified by the circumstances of the case," that "if the officer thinks it unnecessary to take immediate action it is not obligatory (my italics) upon him to do so, nor will he con- tinue any action longer than he thinks it absolutely necessary." (My italics.) I may add that there is no mention in the K.R. of the words used by Mr. Montagu, and Sir J. Wilson, that "the minimum of force necessary should be used." Even if
i that s implied, surely the officer must alone decide what is that "minimum of force "? In the case of General Dyer, it does not seem to have been brought to notice that he only killed
less than 2 per cent. of the "budmashes " at the Jallianwala Bagh, who outnumbered his riflemen by 400 to 1, and who no doubt were armed with " lathis," also some of the same " bud- mashes " had been killing every isolated European for three days previous whom they could lay hands upon, also that many more such " budmashes " were marching on the city. all of whom turned tail when they heard of the Jallianwala
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