The Press. — London, England, 1858-01-16 00:00:00

000. 0-, au practicable despatch. Observing in your letter to the Govsrnor of the Cape of Good Hope that the want of artillery is specially noticed, it has been determined that on e of the only two coanies of this arm in garrison here, together w ith another company of the 3:lrd, shall follow in the sailing-vessel Canning, which has been char tered for the service. On the Pith of August, Sir George Grey, at the Cape, received Lord Elphmstone's application for assistance, couched in terms which exhibit io a re markable and authentic manner the deplorable ina dequacy of the European forces in India at the time of the outhreak : TO His EXCELLENCY KR GEORGE GREY, K.0.D., GOVERNOR AND COUMANDEII•IN-CIIIEF, CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Honourable Sir, —We have the honour to submit for your Excellency's consideration the following circum stances : t i n the 10th of May a mutiny broke out among the native troops of the Bengal army at Meerut, an important station tinder the government of the north-western pro \ inces of India. Several Europeans were murdered. The mutiny immediately extende-1 to Delhi, where the lladies, ives of many of fi cers, civil and military, and of several were sacrificed. The mutineers, on gaining possession of the city of Delhi, proclaimed a member of the old imperial Emily as king, and called on their countrymen to co operate in the annihilation of British power in India. The evil example exhibited at Meerut and Delhi has been followed throughout the whole of Northern India. From Calcutta to the Punjaub there is hardly a station in which mutiny has not broken out, or in which it has not been found necessary to disarm the native troops. At several stations many officers and other European inhabi tants have been murdered by the mutineers. The armies of Madras and Bombay have, up to the present time, remained firm in their allegiance. The accompanying copies of summaries of Indian news prepared for circulation in England will place your Excel lency in possession of the principal events in this extraor dinary movement, the most momentous in the annals of our Indian empire. The ostensible cause of the mutiny, your Excellency will observe, was the introduction of the new cartridges for the Enfield rifles, which, as being pre pared in some degree with tallow, were regarded as offen sive to the religious feelings of the native troops. A senti ment through the exertions of evil agents appears to have been engendered that the introduction of these cartridges was designed as an insult to the Hindoo and Mahomedan religions, and as the first indication of a policy having for its object the destruction of these religions. It would be out of place now to speculate how far other motives have conduced to the mutinous spirit so widely and so violently exhibited. It will be sufficient to regard the actual facts alone, and to state that British ascendancy in India has never received so serious a menace. Your Excellency will immediately understand, with nearly the whole of the Bengal army either in open mutiny or disarmed in order to prevent them from mutinying, the presence of strong reinforcements of European troops is an absolute necessity. The Government of Bombay has reason to feel a just confidence in the fidelity of its native army ; it has stood firm, and we believe it will continue to stand firm, but it is recruited in a great part from the same provinces as the Bengal army, and with the evil example of that army before them it would be of very doubtful policy to trust implicitly to troops surrounded by such temptations to revolt as they are unquestionably exposed to. This Government, out of the eight European regiments which garrison its stations, inclusive of those in Scinde and of Aden, has in the present emergency de spatched four regiments to Bengal and the Punjaub, and the greater part of onother to places subordinate to the Government of the north-western provinces. It has still received urgent calls for further aid, and it has to watch events in the adjoining territory of his Highness the Nizam, among whose troops a mutinous spirit has already displayed itself. If this spirit should become general in the Nizam's territory, the whole eastern frontier of this Presidency would require to be protected against any sud den inroad. In these conjunctures it has occurred to us that your Ex cellency might be able, consistently with proper regard to the interests committed to your charge, to spare at least one of her Majesty's regiments now stationed at the Cape for duty in this Presidency. This would be an important accession of strength, while, if a larger reinforcement c an be afforded us, it might enable this Government to render further assistance to the Government of the north-western provinces, and a feeling of confidence would be inspired that the British Government was bringing all its resources to hear on the present crisis. In the earnest hope that your Excellency may be able to comply with this request to the extent at the very least of one regiment of infantry, the steamer Pottinger has been despatched, and the steamer Civilian will follow for its conveyance to Bombay. We, however, hope that your Excellency may have it in your power to despatch at this crisis a much larger force (comprising artillery, which is much needed) for the relief of India, and that you will be able to find tonnage, and possib'y steam tonnage, at the Cape. We have already had the honour of pointing out to your Excellency that the proportion of European troops in this Presidency is less by one-half than its usual amount in times of perfect tray qnillity. Were four regiments of infantry and three com panies of artillery sent to Bombay, our ordinary peace establishment would only be completed. Sir George Grey was inspired, but in a weaker degree, by the same British spirit as his brother governors. Sir George said a great deal, but did very little. He was told to send 5,000 men to India, and he contented himself with sending '2,550. Another 250 were afterwards added, and a few horses for the cavalry. -- THE PRESS, JANUARY 16, ISSB. INDIA. THE CALCUTTA MAIL• IN DIA.HOUSF. DESPATCHES. The following despatches were received on Monday morning : TO THE HON. SECRET COMMITTEE, EAST INDIA HOUSE, LONDON. BOMBAY CASTLE, Dec. 8, 1857. Postal communication between Bombay and Calcutta cut off. Four of Holkar's regiments disarmed. Sir B. Hamilton has resumed charge of the Central Indian agency. • All quiet in the Punjaub, Scinde, Agra, Nizam's country, and Madras. 13licels in Kandeish still in rebellion, but no great ex cess reported. An armed band has attacked Peinth (?) and plundered the Treasury. Surat troops have been sent from Madras and Bombay, and police from Tannal and Nassick to re store order. Outbreak in Kollapore country on the oth of December ; gates closed by a large body of Mnngo and Kamooses. Colonel Jacob blew open principal gate, attacked and dis persed insurgents. Fifty priscners taken, and thirty-six immediately tried and executed. In three hours tranquil lity was restored. The rising of Berunds entirely crashed, after a body of them had been severely chastised at Hulfullee. H. L. ANnEtisoN, Secretary to Government The following additional telegram from Calcutta was also received at the India-house. It will be seen that a considerable portion of the intelligence arrived by the last mail : CeLcurra, Dec. 10, 1837. The commander-in-chief, having relieved the Lucknow gsrriaon, returned to Cawnpore with the women, the wounded, and the State prisoners, twenty-three lacs of rupees, and the King's jewels; also, all the guns worth taking away. Sir James Outram had been. left with a strong division at Alumbagh, in the vicinity of Lucknow. All the women and children from Lucknow, and most of the wounded, have safely reached Allahabad. On the 2 ith General Windham attacked and routed the first division of the Gwalior Contingent, 3,000 in number, which bad arrived near Cawnpore, after crossing the Jumna at Calpee, taking all their guns except one light field- piece. On the 27th of November the main body of the Gwalior Contingent entered the civil station of Cawnpore, and burnt down the —of three of our regiments. They were repulsed, with severe loss, in an attack they made on our intrenchments on the 28th of November. The Rifles captured two of their 18-pounders. The 04th Regiment suffered severely. Brigadier Wilson was killed. Sir Colin Campbell reached Cawnpore on the evening of the 28th of Novem ber. He despatched the women and wounded towards Allahabad on the 3rd of December, and on the 6th he at tacked and completely routed the Gwalior Contingent, pursuing them for fourteen miles along the Calpee and capturing their camp, sixteen guns, and an ime&cnse quantity of ammunition, park stores, grain bullock m s, ~ with all their baggage. Our loss was insignificant. General Hope Grant pursued the fugitives of the Gwalior Contingent, and came up with them as they were begin ning to cross their guns over the Ganges at Sera Ghent. He attacked and totally routed themiti, capturing fifteen guns, and all their stores a nd ammunon, without himself losing a man. Sir Henry Havelock died on the '2sth of November. The Jaunpore frontier having been threatened by a large body of rebels, Colonel Longden fell back on Jaunpore. He was immediately reinforced by European troops. This had a great effect ; and up to the Bth of December all was quiet on the Irontier. Colonel Franks has been appointed to command the troops there. The Rewah troops have twice defeated the Mre rebels, capturing the forts of Kiinchynpore and Zorah. yhe Mehidpore was attacked by rebels on the Bth of Novem ber. The contingent behaved badly, and their officers were forced to escape. The rebels captured all the guns and plundered the cantonment. They were, however, pursued by a portion of the Hyderabad Contingent Cavalry, under Major Orr, and on the 12th of November were cut up after an obstinate fight, leaving a hundred dead on the field. All the guns and plunder were retaken. Colonel Durand, with the column from Mhow, advanced on Mtindeaore on the 23rd of November. The rebels were attacked and defeated em with heavy loss. Five of their guns were captured. Neuch, which was threatened by these men, has thus been relieved, and the remnant of the insurgents, who still hold the fort of Mundesore, are much dispirited. Killed—Lieutenant Redmayne, her Majesty's 14th Dragoons. Wounded—Lieutenants James, Martin, and Prendergast. CILITTAGONG. The detachment of the 34th Nutive Infantry mutinied on the 18th of November, released the prisoners, and plundered the treasury. They have fled towards Sylhet. No lives have been lost. On hearing of the Chittagong mutiny it was determined to disarm the three companies of the 73rd Native Infantry stationed at Dacca. They resisted, but were overpowered, and fled towards Jelpigorie s the bead-quarters of their regiment, leaving sixty killed. Three sailors were killed. A detachment of the 73rd Native Infantry, with 50 Ohoorkas and 80 Irregular Cavalry, have marched to intercept the mutineers from Dacca. The troopers fled during the night, but were fired upon by the rest of the party. The Europeans from Barjeellaing (?), with three guns, have been sent to Jelpi• gorie. Europeans have also been sent from Calcutta to Chittagong and Dacca. Two thousand seven hundred and four men from Eng land have arrived since the last mail. BRIGADIER INGLIS'S NARRATIVE OF THE DEFENCE OF LUCKNOW. The narrative of the defence of Lucknow has been published at Calcutta by order of the Governor- General of India. In a general order, bearing date December 8, the Governor-General in announcing it remarks : The Governor-General in council believes that never has a tale been told which will so stir the hearts of English men and Englishwomen as the simple, earnest narrative of Brigadier Inglis. It rightfully commences with a soldier's testimony, touchingly borne, to the chivalrous character and high deserts of Sir Henry Lawrence, the sad detail of whose death is now made known. There does not stand recorded in the annals of war an achievement more truly heroic than the defence of the Residency at Lucknow described in the narrative which follows. That defence has not only called forth all the energy and daring which belong to Englishmen in the hour of active conflict, but it has exhibited, continuously, and in the highest degree, that noble and sustained courage which, against enormous odds and fearful disadvantages, against hope deferred, and through unceasing toil and wear of body and mind, still holds on day after day and triumphs. The heavy guns of the assailants, posted, almost in security, within fifty yards of the intrenchrnents—so near, indeed, that the solicitations, and threats, and taunts which the rebels addressed to the native defenders of the garrison were easily heard by those true-hearted men; the fire of the enemy's musketry, so searching that it penetrated the innermost retreat of the women and children, and of the wonnded ; their desperate attempts, repeatedly made, to force an entry after blowing in the defences ; the perpetual mining of the works ; the weary night watching for the expected signal of relief : and the steady waste of precious lives, until the number of English gunnel' was reduced below that of the guns to be worked ; all these constitute features in a history which the fellow-countrymen of the heroes of Lucknow will read with swelling hearts, and which will endure for ever as a lesson to those who shall hope, by treachery, numbers, or boldness in their treason, to overcome the indomitable spirit of Englishmen. Colonel Inglis commences his narrative by a brief detail of the disastrous advance of Sir Henry Law• rence, on the 30th June last, to attack the rebels at Chinhut, a email village distant about eight miles from Lncknow, on the road to Fyzabad. It will be remembered that on this occasion the native artillery of our force turned traitors at the most critical mo ment of the battle which ensued, and compelled Sir Henry Lawrence, " completely outflanked on both sides by an overpowering body of infantry and cavalry, which actually got well out," to retreat with severe loss. "The heat was dreadful," remarks Colonel Inglis ; "the gun ammunition was expeuded, and the almost total want of cavalry to protect our rear made our retreat most disastrous." gal- lant colonel then proceeds to relate the siege The opera tions from that fatal day. It appears to have been the original intention of Sir Henry Lawrence to oc cupy not only the Residency, but also the fort called the Muchhee Bhowun, " an old dilapidated edifice, which had been hastily repaired for the occasion, though the defences were even at the last moment very far from complete, and were moreover com manded by many houses in the city." But the un toward event of the :10th June so far diminished the whole available force that a sufficient number of men did not exist to occupy both positions. The brigadier•general, therefore, on the evening of the Ist July, signalled to the garrison of the Muchhee Bhowun to evacuate and plow up that fortress in the course of the night. The orders were ably carried out, and at twelve p.m. the force marched into the Residency, with their guns and treasure, without the loss of a man, and shortly afterwards the explosion of 240 barrels of gunpowder and 6,000,000 ball-car tridges, which were lying :tithe magazine, announced to Sir Henry Lawrence and his officers, who were anxiously waiting the report, the complete destruc tion of that post and all that it contained. "If it had not been for this wise and strategic measure," writes Colonel Inglis, " no member of the Lucknow garrison, in all probability, would have survived to tell the tale, for the Muchhee Bhowun was com manded from other parts of the town, and was, more over, indillerently provided with heavy artillery am munition, while the d.fficulty, suffering, and loss which the Residency garrison, even with the rein forcement thu; obtained from the Muchhee Bhowun, has undergone in holding the position is sufficient to show that, if the original intention of holding both posts had been adhered to, both would have inevi tably fallen." • CA CP