INDIA AND THE EAST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1890, 24 March 1874, Page 3

INDIA AND THE EAST.

Colombo, Feb. 15. The mail steamer Mongolia, frem Suez, was detained some time at that port owing to an unprecedented gale of wind. Nearly 800,000 tons of steamships entered Galle Harbour during 1873, comprising P. and 0., Messageries, and British India Companies, as well as Canal steamers. . "AACCCCCVA. Operations for the improvement of the harbour are again being carried out on a small scale. The railway from the stone quarry to the Colombo Breakwater works is nearly complete. Madras is to have a breakwater designed by Mr Parkes, engineer of the recently completed Kurrachee Harbour works, to co3t half a million sterling. In India great expectations of an increase of trade are formed. Tho railway is nearly completed to Tuticorin, the most Bouthern part of India, so that at the close of 1874 it will be possible to travel uninterrupted by railway J from Cape Comorin almost to Lahore and { Peshawur, on the far north-west frontier of India, via Madras, .Bombay, and Allahabad. ' Mr Dudley Field, the weil known American jurist (brother to Mr Cyrus Field) has been on a tour through India and Ceylon, where he has been the guest of the Viceroy and governors of tbe Indian provinces. He leaves by the Nubia, accompanied by Mrs Fiel;l, for South Australia —hia daughter being married to Governor Musgrave. After visiting the Australian colonies he proceeds home via California, and intends being at the Geneva International Congress to be held next Ausuat. The news of Dr Livingstone's death has been received with deep regret in India and Ceylon. The official news leaves littlo hope of there being a mistake, but the Times of India still clings to tho belief that the report is not correct, giving reasons connected with the doctor's intended last journey leading him far from tho place where he is said to have expired. The news of the defeat of Mr Grace and his English cricketers in Melbourne and Stawell has been received with surprise. In India the lateat Australian intelligence is now received through the English Press, telegraphic inteliligence not being supplied to the Indian papers, although passing through Madras and Bombay. Australian coals have been proved in Colombo to be far better adapted for gas-making purposes than any English coal, and preference is now invariably given to tho former, although the coke made from it is not so good. Coal ib being discovered in several districts in India, and hopes aro again entertained of coal-mining being commenced on a large scale. The steps taken by the South Australian Gpvernment in tho interests of forest culture are attracting attention. The Government of Coylon has just appointed conservators of forests, whose chief business it is to protect the extensive Crown forests from the depredations of the Cingalese, who fire hill sides with tho object of cultivating one or two miserable grain crops on the virgin soil. Nurseries and plantations aro also to be commenced. Preparations aro being made for the pearl fishery, to commence next month off our north-west ooa3t, tho first fishery after an interval of teu years. The revenue of Ceylon for 1873 was £1,300,000, besides about £150,000 of municipal and local taxation. | H.M. troopship Malabar arrived at Colombo J from Ireland, via Suez Canal, on January j 31st; landed the 57th (East Middlesex) j Regiment, and took on board the 73rd Perthshire Infantry r.-giment, which, after five j years' service in Coylon, proceeds to Cawnpore. j Tho Malabar left on February 3, for Bombay. | Tho price of coffee has declined slightly, ; and the subject oF fungoid disease (similar to the oidium of the vino), that has attacked the | coffee plantations for the last six years, is now exciting muchdiacusaion. Attention haa been called to Northern Queensland in conaequence ! of the report of Mr Dalrymple, an old coffee- ' planter, as a new field for coffee enterprise.-' Labour, it ia felt, would be the great want, and doubts are also expressed of coffeeplanting flourishing on a large scale on ranges bordering on the sea shore. Ceylon tin is now regularly supplied to the local markets. Coylon has not suffered as yet from the scarcity felt in India, and the declaration of the Viceroy that exportation of rice to thia island would in no caso be prohibited, assures us that there will be no famine here. Mauritius is coining forward with a requisition for additional Indian labour, and the present is thought an auspicious moment in view of the scarcity of employment and food in Bengal. The Queensland and South Australian Governments could not do better than make its exporiment now of introducing Indian labour into Northern Australia, and a convention would bo readily granted at the present time. Great scarcity still prevails in many districts of tho Bengal presidency, and although grain has fallen in some parts, the worst ia yet to come. The Government of India,led by Lord' Northcote, seem fully prepared, however, for any emergency. Special famine commissioners have been appointed. Large purchases of rice in Indian and foreign markets are being made j

by Government. Sir George Campbell; who had resigned the Lieutenant-Governorship of Bengal through ill-health, remains at his post, and the Viceroy has announced that there will be no migration of Government to Simla thia year. As many of the people as possible are being employed on public works. It ia calculated that Government will shortly have a million of people on its handß. In the Tirhoot district alone, altogether, there may be two millions and a half to feed for seven months, requiring 240,000 tons rice. Government has arranged for the purchase of 340,000 tons, so aa to have 100,000 tons for reserve. All this is detailed in a despatch from the Viceroy to the Secretary of State. Lord Norfchbrook has also very clearly laid down his rea3ona for refusing to interfere with the export trade in rice from India. At thia crisis, it would probably destroy an important trade for the future, and complicate, rather than simplify, the action of the Government. Besides, India is bound to supply ita emigrant population in Ceylon and Mauriti is. In view of the extending distress in Bebar, &c, a densely-crowded public meeting was held in the Calcutta Town Hall, on the 4th inst., the Viceroy presiding ; a relief committee was appointed, and subscription lists opened — Sir Richard Temple and others describing what the Government had already done. The Viceroy announced that her Majesty headed the list with £1000 ; Lord Northbrook followed with £1000, and the Maharajah Oi Burdwan give 3 £2000. Madame Arabella Goddard has been ve.y successful iv Calcutta, being much praised and most liberally patronised. The camp of exercise in Southern India at i Bangalore has been very successful ,* 8000 | men of all arms were present. A series of 1 manoeuvres, sham fights, and reviews took | place before Lord. Napier of Magdala, Lord Hobart, and Sir Frederick Haines. Tho com-mander-in-Chief expressed himself highly pleased with the appearance of the troops, European and native, and with the evidence afforded of tho higli state of efficiency and esprit de corps maintained by the Madras army as evinced by the operations of the divisions gathered at Bangalore. M. Victor De Leaseps (son of Baron Lesseps) and Mr Stuart, C.E., are now in Calcutta, endeavouring to obtain encouragement from the Indian Government for the Central Asian railway project. They want no subsidy v or concession, merely permission to carry the project, thus commencing at Pithawar-stunt. Lord Norfchbrook and his. advisers oppose the scheme, and it will be abandoned. The Persian nobility have split into two factions, Liberal and Conservative, over fche Shah's recent innovations, and fche latter opposed Baron Reuter's concession. India-grown tea is henceforth to be supplied fco the troops in India, and the prospects of cultivation of tea extending are good. ' The High Church Bishop Millman of Calcutta, and his Low Church brother, Bishop Gell, of Madras, have equally forbidden Church missionaries to preach in Presbyterian churches, although the interchange of pulDtfcs had hitherto been common. This is much eulogised and condemned, and tho different relations of Episcopalians and Presbyterians in Victoria are noticed in contrast. The necessity of enforcing the voluntary principle throughout India is attracting attention. A renewed disturbance among the Mahomedan Moplahs of Southern India has taken place, bufc was speedily •, quelled.