The East is not quick to change. The Khan of
Khelat, the head of all the chiefs of Beloochistan, and in some sense Sovereign of the country, is now under British protection, and has for some years been described as ruling fairly well. He has recently, however, grown suspicious of his Ministry, imagining, truly or falsely, that they favoured arising, or, as is suggested by a second telegram, a palace revolt. He resolved, therefore, to give them a rebuke in the true Asiatic manner, which in India would, but for our presence, be the only manner, and, according to a telegram, he ordered the Premier to be executed, some other Ministers to be mutilated, and five of the ladies of the harem to be put to death. His subjects probably regarded this as an exhibition of energy; but the Government of India considers the proceeding too rough, and has called for an explanation, besides ordering the Khan to pay £4,000 for the support of the dead persons' families. Our treaty with I;Chelat does not, we believe, enable us to in- terfere in the internal administration of the country.
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