Why British Imperial Intelligence Failed to Anticipate the Rebellion of 1857?

History of Intelligence
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History of Intelligence
The Indian rebellion of 1857 revealed weaknesses within the British intelligence system. Several reasons made it possible for the Indians to plan and execute the rebellion. First, the Indians used cautious wordings in their letters to avoid British censorship. The letters employed basic phrases to convey political messages against colonial rule (Bayly, 1997). Various indigenous communication methods, such as parwanas and charitras, also promoted the rebellion.
Second, the Indians maintained an inward form of communication, which ensured little information was available for the British. The quick spread of information by the rebels made sure the Indian population became aware of the British weaknesses. However, the intelligence the British had gathered from criminals in their prisons was insufficient. It only revealed the outward appearance of Indian life(Bayly, 1997). The dry statistics, such as census data, did not expose anyth...