INDIA.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 24, 21 October 1842, Page 3

INDIA.

Calcutta, June 11. —Gen. Elpliinstone, the commanding officer, who signed the unfor-

turiate Cabool treaty, died early in May. The Affghans sent his body to Jellalabad in order that it might he seen that he had not met his death by foul means.

The whole of the documents connected with the Cabool affair had been placed iu the hands of Mr. Cameron, a member of the Law Commission, in order that he might arrange them, and make a report of their contents, previous to the full enquiry into all the circumstances of the case, which Lord Ellenborough had signified his intention of making. It was generally reported, and extracts from a document drown up%y General Elpliinstone, a few days previous to his death, went a long way in confirmation of the report, that Sir William Macnaghten contemplated an act of treachery, and intended to seize Amcen Oollah, the chief, who invited him to a conference, and that two regiments of cavalry were under arms for that purpose, when Uchbar Khan joined the conference and murdered Sir William. We should hope this supposition may turn out unfounded, but it is plainly stated in the Englishman.

Captain M'Kenzic, one of the officers seized at Cabouly had been sent to Jellalabad on parole, in order to propose terms of peace. The Affghans offered to give up the women, and , other prisoners, for fifty thousand rupees, and a promise that the murderers of Sir A. Burncs and Sir William Macnaghten, should not bo punished ; but this offer was refused—an unconditional surrender was the only proposal General Pollock had to make. So soon as this was known,' the prisoners were removed far into the interim*. In the mean time, General Nott was marching upon Cabool, where he would be met by Generals Pollock and Sale, and before the arrival of the reinforcements from England, it was expected that the Affghans would have given up their prisoners, and surrendered unconditionally. The old King of Oude died in May, and was quietly succeeded by his son Sureeah Jah.

Editorial Labours. —Many people estimate the ability of a newspaper, and the industry and talents of its editor,' by the variety and quantity of editorial matter it contains. Nothing can be more fallacious. It is comparatively an easy task to pour out daily columns of words — ivords, upon any and upon all such subjects. His ideas may flow in one “ washy and everlasting flood,” and his command of language may enable him to string them together like bunches

of onions ; and yet his paper may be a meagre and poor concern. But what is his labour, the toil of such a man, who displays his “ leadermatter” ever so largely, to that imposed upon a judicious, well-informed editor, who exercises his vocation with an hourly consciousness of its responsibilities and its duties, and devotes himself to the conduct of his paper wifh the same care and assiduity that a sensible lawyer bestows upon a suit, or a humane physician upon a patient —without regard to show or display. Indeed, the mere writing part of editing a paper is but a small portion of the work. The industry is not shown there. The care, the taste, the time employed in selecting is far more important—the tact of a good editor is shown more by his selection than anything else; and that, we all know, is half the battle. But, as we have said, an editor ought to be estimated, and his labours understood and appreciated, by the general conduct of his paper —its tone, its temper, its manner, its uniform consistent course, its principles, its aims, its manliness, its courtesy, its dignity, its propriety. To preserve all these, as they should be preserved, is enough, to occupy folly the time and attention of any man.— Spectator.