THE BATTLES OF THE SUTLEJ. "THANKS TO THE ARMY IN INDIA."

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 61, 1 August 1846, Page 3

THE BATTLES OF THE SUTLEJ. "THANKS TO THE ARMY IN INDIA."

In the House of Lords, on Monday, the 2nd of March, the Earl of Itipon moved the 'following Resolutions :— " That the thanks of ithis. house be given to the Right .honorable Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Hardinge, Governor-General of India, Knight Grand Cross of Ihe order of\ the Bath, for the energy and ability with which he directed the military means at his disposal,, to the repelling of the unprovoked invasion byJhe Sikh army of the dominions of the British government, and of the protected states upon the left bank of the Sutlej jjand slso . for the firmness, and gallantry "with which he directed the operations of that portion of the army under bis immediate command in the afternoon and night of December 21st, 1845, and on the mot ning of the 22nd, upon which occasion the enemy's defences were carried by storm, the greater part of their artillery captured, and their subsequent attempts to regain what they had lost repeatedly defeated* "That the thanks of this, house be given to General Sir Hugh Gonghj Knight Grand Cross of the order of the ' Bain, .Commander-in-Chie£ of the forces in the East Indies, for the distinguished valour with which he led the several attacks upon the enemy in the battles of the 19th 21st, and 22nd of December, 1545, displaying in conjunction with the Governor General a brilliant example to the troops of perseverance and courage in critical circumstances, and of irresistable ardour in the aevetal attacks made upon the enemy. "That the thanks of this house be given to Major-General Sir Harry Smith, Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, to Major- General 'Waltei' Raleigh Gilbert, and to Major-Ge-neral.Sir John Littler, Knight Commander of. the Order of the Bath, and to the several officers under their command, for the eminent services rendered by them in the recent arduous and successful operations. " That the thanks of this house be given to the - non-commissioned officers and private soldiers, European and Native, for the perseverance and fortitude displayed by them at Mobdkee, on the ISth of December 1845, and for the daring valour with which they forced the. enemy's entrench^ ments at Ferozeshah, on the 21st and 22nd oP December, captured most of his guns, and finally compelled the Sikh army, of greatly superior numbers, to retire within their own frontier. " That this resolution be signified to them by the commanders of the several corps." A silver medal was being prepared for presentation to the officers and soldiers, who were present at the battle in China. ' The intrinsic value of the memento will be> about ss. 6d., its diameter i§ inch. Eighteen thousand were to be sti uck off.

Sir Charles Fizroy, was presented by Mr. Secretary Gladstone, to her, Majesty, at the levee, on the 11th of February. Mr. Eyre, with two Aboriginal youths, from South Australia, were presented the same day to Her Majesty by Mr. Gladstone. The names of these two youths are Warrulan and'Pangkerin. Their heads have been manipulated by several distinguished phrenologists in London and they declared their devolopements to be very good, far superior [to those of the negro race.

Distress in Ireland. — Public movement are taking place in various parts of Ireland, with the view of appropriating immediately, and as effectually as possible, the measures provided by Government for the relief of the destitute Irish : people. At Mallow, county of Cork, a meeting of the leading inhabitants of the district has memorialised the Lord Lieutenant, seeking aid in the form of cheap provisions and employment for the poor j resolving also to assist, with voluntary contribution. The Mayor of Cork, as chairman of the relief fund raised iii that city, has been in communication with the Lord Lieutenant, urging " that immediate measures may be taken for a general issue and sale of Indian corn and oatmeal to the poorer classes, who are at this moment for the moat part subsisting on rotten potatoes, and among whom disease is already making fearful ravages. The reply received was to the eQ'ect that the Mayor's communication had been for svarded to "the Commissioners for inquiring into all matters relatingtot lie failure of the potatoe crop," for their consideration. Loud complaint is caused by the delay. A meeting has also been held at Gort, and resolutions adopted for giving immediate effect to the measures of relief.

New Penal Set tlement.— ln a debate in the Lords, on the 3rd March, on the petition from Van Dieman's Land, praying for redress from an excessive penal population, Lord Stanley stated, that the new penal settlement determined on by his successor in the Colonial Olfice, with the concurrence of the present cabinet, was Port Essinglon. lint that no convicts wonid be sent there, but those who had gone through a service of " probation," and that when they arrived atPortEssington, they would either immediately, or at the earliest prudent opportunity be made free of the Colony, and provided loUh a small yrant of land, tools, &c.