English and Foreign.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XII, Issue 703, 3 August 1859, Page 3

English and Foreign.

, INDIA. , We have In'diaTi files to the 23rd of May. I?rorn the Correspondent's^letter to the 'Melbourne Herald' we make the following extracts : Public attention has been diverted from the last -dying embers of the native revolt to the spirit of disaffection which .has been manifested by a portion of her Majesty's European army in India. A great number of the European soldiers of the late '-East India-Company imagine that when India was {transferred to the Grown, they ought to have had ithe option of .either Staking their discharge or being re-enlisted with a. &esh bounty. The military authorities in India .declared their claim inadmissible, but referred *the question to the decision of ;the orown lawyers ia England, who in their turn also pronounced -au unfavourable verdict. The .men were all attested to servo the East India Company and her .Majesty, and it is generally believed that theyliaye been imisled by a few of those mischievous characters denominated "sea-lawyers," who sometimes .find 'their way into the army. As .yrit no.lives have been lost, and beyond the refusal •of obedience, the troops have committed no overt act; butitheir ■conduct is, nevertheless, wholly inexcusable. .Great -satress is laid by some on the 'fact tliat tliese men-did their duty at a time when tthe state was in danger. But to laud soldiers for •doing what they were engaged to do, is too much (the custom in these «days. Of the native revolt I have little to_ communi•cate. Tt seems, however, to be rapidly smoulder- ' 'ing towards extinction. The reports from Nepaul ■are varied and contradictory. Beni Mahdoo is said , 'to be at' a place called Dang, with a hundred or a •hundred and 'fifty followers. , Bala Rao, Mummoo •Khan, and Joowalla Pershaud are reported to be encamped with HOiOGO men on the hills to the •south of Bpotwadl. Subsequent intelligence of the movements of tour troops seem to stamp this •last report as trustworthy. One report says that the Nana anfl the Begum are the prisoners of two Nepaulese regiments, and. are confiued in'thefo'rt

•of Niakote to the north of Bootwaul; while other reports say that, the.Nana is wandering about .the • country in disgaise,'b.aving shaved his.head, painted his face, and adopted a European dress; and that ■the Begum is -still.at the .head of 15,000 men somewhere on the JRaptee. It >is also said that another insurgent has assumed the name of Tantia

Topee, and that hens:plundering the district about Ejzabad. A letter (purporting to be from Jung Bahadoor, inviting all the rebels to-enter his king.dora, has been going the round of< the papers in the' .north. There have 'been no important conflicts

between our troops and the rebels. On the 26th ult., the same date, as that of the affair at;Bungaon^ Major Muraay, with the .Purijaub Infantry and the Jat Horse, attacked the Nusseerabad bri-

gade under Gunga&ingh andDabee Singh,in the Keanee .Nullah, aafl completelyroutedthem. Oomrao. Sinyh was attacked by some Police Cavalry near Pudnah and -utterly defeated. His brother was killed in the melee. The military movements .are few and \iot important. Colonel Ross has advanced to , Touleepore. Colonel ,Pinckney has shifted his camp fi\>m Dokheree to Pipperah. Sir Hope Grant left 4-Jon.dah. on the sth instant, for Buframpore. Oa ike 10th, he was reported to have reached that .place, and to be watching Bala Eao, Mummoo Khan, etc., who were -on the hills north of Toolsepore. Columns were stationed at Bulrampore, Ak'owaia, Seoghur, Naupara, and Sitka Ohat on the Raptee. Owing, to tho vigilance of the police in watching the Ghauts on the Gogre and its tributaries, no rebels have got into Lower Oude or Eohiieand. At noon on the Ist May, "when encamped at Seoghur, near Bingha, Colonel Gordon received information that a party of rebels had taken possession -of the Nanparah jungles.

With the > wing ©f tfhe Ist , Seikhs and the two companies of the 53rd, he at once started,' and after a fatiguing march of eight miles, -succeeded

in coming up with, -them and killing a large,number. He also cleared the jungles after three hours' skirmishing, capturjngjat the same time a quantity of arms. Since then a '^portion <of .her Majesty's 53rd regiment and..Seikhs-entered the Souash. valley through the • Xursoneath Seta Pass, in which they had an acfckoa with the enemy, numbering some 2,000 men, srambers of whom were killed. The EniSelds of her Majesty's 53rd regiment, did great execution. Large quantities of arms were taken, as also some ammunition, and many articles of much .value1 to .the-enemy. In Oude tranquiliijy prevails, the people of the country rapidly resuming their wonted avocations. The 'King of Oude ha's ;been permitted to correspond with his lselations at Luckndw, his letters being forwarded r through Government. At •Cawnpore there has.%een a serious fray between Captain Musgrave's' Hazara Horse and Captain Cadell's Cawnpore police. It .arose from- the imimprisonment of some of, tlte Hazara JElorse by the police.- [Two,'or three men were killed in the fray, and seven or eight wounded. Letters -from Lucknow express strong hopes that the 'Nana will be •speedily captured, and state' rthat there is no doubt j of his'having with Kirn a girl of ten years of age, 1 -the daughter of a 'deputy collector, of whom he is I very fond. There are also two European women t with Kirn.

|f In the Puhjaub and the north-west provinces all &Is perfectly tranquil, both amongst the people and m the native levies. In the Nizam's1 dominions howI «ver, we regret to say tbal'the reverse'is the easel I Por, some time the country * has 'been agitated, and % a crisis seems now rapidly approaching. ' The exI pulsion ofßaz Khan and Moulvie Ibrahimydemans ded by the "British 'government, and consented to § by the Nizam, has not yet been enforced. , A feel- | ing of. ' insecurity generally exists amongst the § English residents in the Deccan, and it was exit pected' there would be a rising on the part of the || Mahometans. It is stated that the 18th Royal 4 Irish have received-orders to march from.Sholapore Ito Secunderabad. It is also reported that Sir fe) Hugh Rose has gone to Hyderabad, and that in iv consequence of disturbances that have already f) taken .place, the 14th Dragoons will be sent1 off i?,at once to the Nizam's 'capital. European If {troops are also-rapidly being pushed forward | from Madras, so that in my next I may possibly |i| <have to communicate to you tVe extinction, of a t dynasty* ' „ The fortunes of the remnant of 'the central India H insurgents are at their lowest ebb. On the morni ing of the 12th inst.,the rebel chieftan, Takoor 1 Chetta Sahib, of Agra, ransacked the village of 1 Nanakpoor, six miles from Seronge. The -upcountry dawk fell into his hands and was destroyed., j This rebel band consists of 1400 men, SCO of whom, are cavalry, and were i?ormerlycßengal Irregulars. ■ Adil Mahomed Khan is on the1 Saugar road, near I the town of Garazporo, secreted 'in a dense thick jungle, destitute,'and in bodily fear of being captured. - * It is stated that ample evidence is in the posses- ! I sion of the .authorities Jto sliew that Tantia Topee,; 1 under the orders of the Nana, was one,of the most' 1 conspicuous characters among the chiefs concerned; iin the Cawnpore massacre. One witness was close; by him at the ghat w.h©n he,gave the order for the. luo-le to be-sounded, which was the signal for ,theonslaught. Tantia wai? also with the Nana in * houseclose to the slaughterhouse. The latter with Teeka Sing, Jowalla Per-shad, Balaßiio,'and others, sure the orders and induced their followers to com-, niit the murders. The worst of all, however, was. Bala Rao, the Nana's Ib'rother. Sixty-one rebels, chiefly Mahomedans and Sowars pi the Btti uregular Cavalry, came v >to,Colojiol ftiehs camp on

.the 4th of M&y, and gave up their arms; comprising carbines, pistols, and tulwars with ammunition. It is evident that percussion caps were not so scarce at Delhi as has heen represented so often, for good serviceable caps were given up by those who had fire-arms and in no small quantities either. It is said that other rebels (Hindoos)" will also surrender, and that Ferozeshah'has a thought of following the example of the. Ressaldar, who came in at the head of his men. He has promised to bring- in the whole of the Baghees composing his force. Report say's that these are the' last of tho rebels who have been giving such annoyance in the'jungles, and it is therefore to be hoped that the general will be permitted to move into quarters. On this side of India all is quiet, save in Candeish, where the Bheels have been giving a little trouble. The 78th Highlanders have taken their departure, and the military camp on the Esplanade has been consequently struck. All who can be absent from Bombay are enjoying themselves on the cool summits of Matheran and Mahableshwur, Bombay being grillirigly hot. The Governor and Commander-in -Chief are at the latter place, but as the rains are rapidly approaching, they will soon be compelled to hasten down to the plains. There has been a very destructive storm along the Malabar coast. At JSegapatam no less than sixty ve&sels were lost, whilst many lives were sacrificed. Altogether, it is believed that the loss of life and property on the water alone lias been something frightful, it being supposed that not less than one hundred and fifty country craft have either foundered at sea or been wrecked on the coast. The whole seaboard was strewed with timber, cotton bales, bags of pepper and other Malabar produce. The entire duration of the gale was about thirty-six hours; it commenced by blowing from the N.E., then veered to E.S.E. and to S.W., and subsequently W., during the prevalence of which latter wind the entire mischief was done afloat: as the , coast then formed a ,dead lee shore, ,and the tiny country craft were but ill-able to ride out a gale that is alleged to have been one of the' most ter-, ri'fic ever experienced on this side of India. •' (From the ' Bombay Times.') ,The disaffection in the Company's European-' troops .has spread to Berhampore, Gwalior, and Allahabad,.and is believed to be general.,

fThe discontent of the East India .Company's European troops, at being transferred without reenlistment to the < Queen's service, has become so widely marked, that it is the question of the day in India. Lord Clyde left the hills, upon the first intimation of the state ofmatters at Meerut, related in our last advices, and.issued the following general order, immediately upon his arrival in the, plains : —

The .Commander-in-Chief has received a full report of the disquiet that has lately pervaded the minds of some of the men belonging to the ' Bengal Artillery' and' 2nd European Cavalry' at Meerut. His Excellency is happy to observe that the demeanour of the men- towards their officers has been properly respectful. If a soldier has a complaint to make or considers himself in any manner aggrieved, it is his right to make a proper and respectful representation through the usual channels to superior authority, and to ask for redress. But when this representation has been made, the soldier must be at .his duty, and he must wait with due deference, patience, and obedience, for the ultimate decision.

The Commander-in-Chief desires that the soldiers of the Bengal Artillery and 2nd Light Cavalry, who have lately been struck off duty, may return to their duty.

The Major-General Commanding the Division is directed to convene a ' special court of enquiry ' for the purpose of hearing what every man has to say. The evidence taken will be the fullest possible. Each man in the two regiments will be called upon to state whether he, has ■ any grievance, and if so, what that grievance is, and what are the grounds of it. It is only by such means the Commander-in-Chief can arrive at the real merits of the case, as considered by the men; and in this manner the assurance will be conveyed to them that every man's sentiments will become known to the highest authority, ,and that due consideration will be given to them. .With regard to the question at isssue, .viz., the transfer to the Crown of the late Company's Army, which has caused the recent excitement, the men will perceive that it affects them in common with their officers, and all the services of the country, in« eluding the CiVil Service. There is no .distinction drawn between any ranks, and they are called on alike to obey an " Act of Parliament." But if any. party feels himself aggrieved, by an Act of Parliament he is at liberty to petition respectfully against it. It is on this ground that His Excellency has ordered.the Court of Enquiry, viz., to enable the men, who consider themselves aggrieved by the late Act, to give expression to their own views, or, in other words, to petition ,in a ( soldier-like and regular manner, ,which they understand themselves, against what they consider to he a hardship. The Court of Enquiry will assemble, composed as follows, immediately after the arrival of the Judge Advocate General at Meerut: President: Brigadier Horsford, Bengal Artillery. MEMBERS. Col. Huyshe, Bengal Artillery. Col. Radcliffe, H. M. 75th Foot. Col. Young, the Judge Advocate General of the Army, will conduct the proceedings. ■No. 8. The above order will be entered in the Eegi mental and Company Orderly Books of all the European Corps at Meerut. W. E. Mansfield, Major General, Chief of the Staff.

Tantia Topee's family and relations to the number of 20 have been released from confinement in the Port of Gwalior. The Commissariat expenditure for the year 1857----58 has aggregated to more than two crores of rupees. A demonstration of the same kind to that which occurred at Meerut, has been made at Allahabad. Signs of insubordination weie' exhibited by the 4th Europeans. A 'portion of the Artillery at Lahore has also expressed its discontent, but the conduct of the men was perfectly orderly and respectful. The latest accounts of the fugitive rebels state that Muramoo Khan, Balo Rao, the Nana and family, Devee Bux, and their several followers are studded about on the Arrahnullah which divides Toolsepore from Nepal, and extend, dotted about in small parties, some 10 miles or more east on the 'Nepal plains. The General's intention, it is believed, ds to turn them on the east and drive them west- ■ ward. Birjis Duddur has been turned out of; .Nyakote by the Begum, after recovering from an attack of small pox. The Nana would not leave i his -family at Nyakote without a guard, and so he ' came away and joined Balo Rao bag and baggage. The other day'we had to report a melancholy ■ occuiTence on board the steamer .Monghyr, whose chief engineer was shot by a passenger. We now hear that a somewhat similar occurrence very, nearly happened on board the Charles Allen, one of the steamers of the India General Steam Navigation Company. Fortunately for the engineer, he was saved by the timely interference of two officers of .another vessel, who wrested the bowie knife out of the hands of his assailant. These are unusual events and not very creditable to the vessels in which they occur. — Bengal Hwkaru, April 28. CAMP DTTKPtTREER, GOBUCKPORE. « Richard's himself again," or, if Richard is not, the "Nana is. This arch-rebel has had the iropu-

i; dence^ to come within 20 miles of our camp, and sent in to Major Richnrdson a letter, or rather proclamation, of which the following is the purport :—

"To officers, civil and military, of the British Government; to Governor; to the Council of India; to the Queen of England and the British Parliament. It is well known that the rebellion was caused;by the sepoys of the British army, who have done all the mischief they could. It is also known that when the mutiny broke out in Cawnpore, the Government treasure and magazine had been forced into my keeping. It was only on this account and the preservation of my family that I did not go with the Europeans into General Wheeler's entrenchment. It is also known that I had no power over the mutinous sepoys or my own troops, as they were not my countrymen, and that I had nothing to do with the murder of the Europeans at Cawnpore. Nevertheless, it is singular, that, with - the large British army in the field, and with Jung Bahadoor for their ally, they have not_ been able to do any thing against me. The British Government has pardoned all mutineers, all chiefs, even the JNawab of Furruckabad, yet I will not give myself up, but will rather die, and am therefore determined to fight it out. In a short time I will have such an army to fight the English that will make their blood flovv, ;ana the men who are now fighting for them will fight, againsit them, and then what will the English do ?" This precious documents bears the Nana's seal. I do not know what reply the Major gave to it, but .one went off the same day, and it is said this proclamation of the Naha's: is being widely circulated through the: cohnvry;-—April 24.