REDUCTION OF THE FORCES IN INDIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 112, 26 March 1862, Page 7

REDUCTION OF THE FORCES IN INDIA.

The Bombay Correspondent of the Melbourne Hvrahl writes as follows, under date February 14—

'.Reduction is still the order of the day, the Madras army having just had the pruning hook applied with a considerable degree of vigor. It will now consist of the following Regiments:—European—29 batteries of Artillery; 2 regiments of cavalry; 11 regiments of infantry. Native —4 regiments of cavalry, H regiments of infantry, Tin- Indian unyy is alro to be abolished, and it is B"id tl.at instructions will be shortly sent to Bombay' <O give immediate effect to t!;}s reso'ntion, by putting the vessels out of commission, and pensioning-the offiriers. The formal sanction of the fcSrcretary of State must be obtained to this menf-uie before it is actually can itd out;; but whatever the ultimate fate of the SBiviei may l:e, I question the wisdsim of aboi'shing Jt at the present tnommt. It is also aiithoritivcly Bfc'tod that no more ships are to be built in the Government dockyard of Burnt ay. At last, it has been discovered that vessels cr<n be biiiit in Europe at less expense than in the Island. Without stopping to inquire into the cause of the cur'ous facrf, that these things can be drnj sta, eheaperra c iri'Europe, where labour is so highly paid than in lin'ia, where labor is cl cap, I-would ask, has the builder's.1 department'in her Majesty's dockyard of Bombay been adequately reduced '! In the contingent branch of the department, it is said,sweeping reductions haveb.en made; but it, has yet 1o be learned that any more has been mnde in -what may be termed the permanent establishment. It cannot be affirmed with justice that the same strength of establishment that was necessary for both building and repairing-.-will now be requisite for repairs alone. If it be not, then let Ihe shears go to work at once, and let the permanent establishment be clipped to its legitimate dimensions.

Al^kjiino Occurrence.—A most alarming accident; took place at the' Dobcross (Saddlewortli) Mechanic's Institution on Saturday. .Fortunately the result was not so fearful as was anticipated, but the accident itself was truly terrific. Whilst the proceedings in connection with the annual meeting of the BridgehouEe Sunday School were going on, the central part of the floor of the building gave way, and about a hundred'people were precipitated into the room below. The scene which ensued was one of wild onfusion, and the cries of the living mass of human beings were truly heart-rending. The two ends of the floor remained firm ; and it appealed that one of the centre beams had given way in consequence of its great age and decayed condition. No time was lost in rendering aid to the'sufferers and in extricating them from their unfortunate position. Many were injured, bxit none fatally.

Mr. Alfred Denison, -who acted for some years as private Eecretary to Sir William Denisoji, the Go-vernor-General of A\istralia, is appointed private cretary to the Speaker. (