The Under-Secretary for the Colonies on Thursday explained the slaughter
of the coolies in Trinidad. His account makes the affair better, but proves the necessity for the independent inquiry which is at once to be instituted. It appears that as bands of coolies quarrel with each other at the Mohnr- rum, they are forbidden by statute to enter the town of San Fernando. They were fully warned of this, but nevertheless on October 31st a thousand coolies, armed with cutlasses and clubs, attempted to force their way into the town. They were repeatedly warned, and the Riot Act read ; but they neverthe-
less persisted, and the police and soldiers then fired, killing thirteen. and wounding eighty-nine men. The Inspector- Superintendent of Police reports that, but for such firing, his men would have been overwhelmed. It is, of course, right to support a statute, if resisted, by any needful use of force ; but the officer deputed to investigate should inquire not only whether the coolies understood their orders, but whether they were armed. Direct resistance to police orders when soldiers are visible, is under most circum- stances the last thing natives of India would think of ; and, though no doubt rioters occasionally use sticks freely, firing on a mob is in India the rarest of events. A dozen mounted men would have settled the matter with a tenth of the loss of life.
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