7 OCTOBER 1893, Page 17

COW-KILLING IN INDIA.

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR,"] 'Sin,—The letter which appeared in the Spectator of Sep tember 23rd, over the signature of "Pahari," is an interesting and valuable contribution to the discussion of this subject ; but that the writer is not wholly accurate in his assertion that it is only " tbe sacrificial slaughter " of cows that "really exasperates the Hindoos," is clearly proved by the Reuter telegram from Calcutta in the English dailies of the 27th ult., which states that "as a cow was being conveyed to a butcher's yesterday, it was seized by a number of Hindoos," and that a 'disturbance was only prevented by the timely interference of a Moslem gentleman and a Hindoo jemadar (sergeant).

I entirely agree with "Pahari " and with _Reis and Ryot 'that the anti-cow-killing outbreaks that are becoming so common are very largely the result of the inflammatory work 'of the National Congress party—a party which derives all its 'vitality from hopes and aspirations entirely inconsistent with the maintenance of the British Empire in India ; for whatever• 'Sir David Wedderburn and other advocates of the Congress movement may think or believe, no one who really knows India and its peoples can for a moment credit the assumption that the attainment of their professed programme would be 'regarded by the party as anything more than a stepping-stone to fresh demands. That as " Pahari " admits, "vulgar Mos- lems of a bigoted kind " are sometimes " glad to annoy Hindoos," is unfortunately true; but the Government need not hesitate to suppress such conduct, for it is in direct con- travention of the teaching of Islam, and all true Moslems would support any reasonable action taken by the Government to prevent or punish it.—I am, Sir, &o., HAJEE A. BROWNE, President of the Anjuman Angreci.