[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR. "] SIR,—I have read your
article on "The Secret Transmission of News " in the Spectator of August 16th with a great deal of interest, and I hope that it may lead to further explanations of the phenomena. I know that the prevailing opinion in India is that it is merely coincidence, and that now and then one report among the thousands must come true. I was a cantonment Magistrate in India during some period of the war, and the police used to bring me some of the bazaar "gup." Much of it was authentic, but traceable to leakage from the Government offices; and I know that every traveller to the plains used to lay in a stock of the latest Simla rumours, which ensured him a welcome as he proceeded on his journey. Amongst the trash I heard, I remember two rumours which were substantiated later that Lord Kitchener was to be Commander-in-Chief (this appeared in the Pioneer five days after), and that the Amir was dead. The latter might possibly have been telegraphic leakage, though I think not. These two instances lose some of their• significance when joined to a third circumstantial rumour that there was a general uprising against the present Amir, whose life was in danger. This I learnt direct from the local pundit. A secret official order that all Magistrates should at once report con- fidentially all cases in which authentic bazaar rumours become true would probably cause the method of communication, if any exists, to be elucidated.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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