The Sun. — London, England, 1849-03-15 00:00:00

ja4P ' S mount. ' point in reduction I for any the cir business, )uld call. was con- exchange DAY. e Recoid [lngham, ts Davis, ttre, Tut- contused, Queen's ieques to ervals of gulatious rent sorts Llgt ner came a man ' s vitness $ given to ho, with- Ivr in the then sent hed eon?' .uised his 'e that 1 0 eived the is was so iplainant , nmeaded it for the AY.) tleman l l e to his &e., was ig John resterdal s of Mr• a he was 1 his lad slat him• Ider Bass ter, with , swear er. Bass, tted that be for, 1 1 granted, The case ie defer tither r, unde r 1 Thur! the prr aPPes t. ran. )AY•) ,t noOlh ,inea, - St• ',Pieta, imbuotof k; Wra' Tn, C l4l ' for LO° . ;aloutt. s i phi* )awkes t ' n . 13, t, Soo t ! !r, Furioo6 , Joe a, co- W hite. d. istb, a tonal! Irleans 0 3, dit t l . OXibr f ti. jrS v• ;roobe t ' a. Wo' -.—sid. rdeall_AP menev" 6d io 45 4- Hov er 93 Pet Igo' 35 £0 15" Co 11 fl OP ' sg oo 4s 66 ' slbo•F ■~I MONEY and COMMERCIAL NE VV:. , . CITY, QUARTER TO THREE. The Cotton Market at Liverpool, yesterday was dull, but prices were much the same. Sales 4,000 bales. Railway Shares were heavy. The Continental intelligenc , received to-day is rather interesting; and there is much importance attached to the political news, though the staternt nt of a probable war between Germany and Russia is not much credited. It is generally believed that Russia has too much on its hands to venture upon aggresgon, while England and France are united, but of the inclination of Russia to co-operate with Austria there is not much doubt, and therefore most parties will bo anxious for further news. Whether England can in any way be in volved time must show. There has been a most favourable meeting of Bank of England proprietors to-day to consider of a dividend, and the result is that a dividend of 3i per cent., and with 2 per eent. added, has been declared. This reduces the rest nearer three millions, which, in banking circles, is held to be amply sufficient. We need hardly say that the meeting went off most favourably, and that the affairs of the corporation were considered to be seldom in a sounder position. The mercantile markets are rather quiet just now, and there is less doing either on speculation or for con sumption. The English Funds have been dull. The transfer books are now closed for all the principal securities ex cept Consols, which have been 911 to 911 for transfer, and 911 i for account. Exchequer-bills have been 41s. to 445. premium, and India Bonds 475. to 50s. premium. Bank Stock for account has not been done since the Meeting. In the Foreign Market the transactions have been at rather lower rates in some instances, but there is no Particular change. Spanish Five per Cents. have real ised -16 i to 17. Portuguese Four per Cents. have been 27 to 28. Mexican Bonds have been 28* to 1. Bra zilian have been quoted 81i, and Peruvian 56i to 57. Dutch Two , and-a-Half per Cents. have been 491 to . Railway Shares have been flat. In the instance of the North-Western line the price is lower. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. (From the Official List.) 3 per Cent. Consols Anns .... ....... 9IN, %lh India Stock — Do. Bonds, 1000/ — Ditto under 1.0001 . , - Bank Stock for Account 199 Consols for Account ' PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Austrian Bonds, 5 per Cent..... ...... Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent . Danish Bonds 1825, 3 per Cent — Ditto, 5 per cent. Scrip, 1849 6% 7 Equador Bonds 3% Mexican Bonds, 1846, 5 per. Cent 2 8 1,E Peruvian Bonds, 6 per Cent 56% 57 Portuguese Bonds, 5 per Cent Ditto Converted, 1841 . Ditto 4 per Cent. Ditto for the Account 27 % 1% • Spanish Bonds, 5 per Cent,1840 Ditto Passive Bonds 3% Venezuela Bonds .. Dividends on the above payable in London. Dutch 2 1 h per Cent..l2 Guild 4 9 3/ % Ditto 4 ner Cent. Certificates lIIISINESS DONE IN RAILWAY SHARES AT ONE O'CLOCK RAILWAY/. PAID. Psa SHAER. Aberdeen Ditto, Preference 2 lia 21 0 4... to Birmingham & Oxford Junct.. calls duly pd, or with guar. 20 Caledonian Ditto, Quarter Shares...... 11 1 4 .. Ditto, New 10/. Preference 10 Chester and H01yhead......... 50 Ditto, Preference . P•ast Anglia, 25/. L. & E., sad L. & D .. 25 ...... Ditto, 3/. 108., E. & H... 3% 2% to Eastern Counties Do.Exten.,s per ct. No. 1, 61.,135. 4d Ditto, New . .. 50 ..... 44k...... to East Lincolnshire 25 ...... 'S% to Great Northern ... 20 D 0.% A Deferred ..... ... 12% 5 Do. 1 / 2 B 6 per Cent. Gt. South. & West. (Ireland) 45 Great Western 100 ... .. 96 Ditto, Half Shares Ditto, Quarter Shares Do. New 171 Dull and Selby 5O lOl Ditto, Quarter Shares . 12% 2 1 34 ...... to L ancaster and Carlisle.... ... 50 Do.,Thirds • Lancashire and Yorkshire ... 93 ..... • to . Ditto Fifths Do., New Guar. 6 per cent. 7% 9%...... to Leeds and Bradford 5O ....101 London & Blackwall ...131.65.... 8d.... 5% to ;,--- Lend., Bright., & South Coast 50 Do., New, guar. 6 per cent. 5 Londo n & North Western....,loo ....135 London and S. Western...—. 50 .. ... 31 1 4 to Ditto Thirds DO., New Scrip, 1848, Pref. 7 per Ct. en Deposit and ser s,zi .... to -- esanchr, Sheffield, and Linc.100 ~ Do., New 10.. Preference 10 ... .. 10 % % % to Midland...... 100 _Ditto. 501. Shares ..... ...... 25 North British .. .. ......... .. 25 Ditto Half Shares— ..... 12% 6% to ~ Do. Quarters 6 14 31... . N orth Staffordshire... .. ...... 17% 14% to Oxford, Worcester, and Wol verhampton ... .... Reading,Guildfd.,& Reigate 124 lB% -te Rcottish Central S hrewsbury and Birmingham 10 — to Ditto. ditto, Class B. 6 South Eastern Wm to Ditto, Scrip No. 4.. south Wales Wilt;,SOm erset,&Weymouth 45 ...... 33% to York, Newcastle, and Berwick 25 ..... 25% to 25 Do. Original New & Berick 25 .. ... 25% to Do. and Newcastle Eaten. 20 .. Do. G. N. E. Pur. or Pref. 8 ... york and North Midland .. 50 Ditto East and W est Riding Extension ... .. ...... 25 FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Boulogne and Amiens 2O ..... 9VA... to Central of France (Orleans _and Vierzon) ... Namur and Liege......... 2O ...... 8% to 8 Northern of France Paris & Strasbourg ..... ..... 10 ... 4 3 A X ... R ouen and Havre JOINT STOCK BANKS. Commercial of London 2O ...... 19 'nion of Australia 25 DREADFUL FIRE IN THE ClTY.—Between five and six o'clock this morning, the quiet locality of Wood street Cheapside, was disturbed by a fire happening on the premises, No. 15, Addle-street, opposite Brewer's all. Three persons, in extensive business, occupied the several floors; Messrs. Hall and Nichols, fancy fringe manufacturers; Messrs. Brennan, drugget manufacturer; mid Mr. Bevan, a tailor. Engines of the Brigade, West ' 3 j England, and parish, were brought to the scene of ,uestruction but so firm had the fire taken its hold that u3' ten o'clock property to the amount of several th ousands was destroyed. No lives were lost, nor cause a scertained. The following is an official account of loss: Addle-street, No. 15—Ground floor, Messrs. Brennan, stock nearly all consumed; insured in the London Fire Office—FiNt floor, Messrs. Hall and Nichols, stock, fu rniture,,„ Sze., destroyed; insured in the Star Fire Office upper floors, Air. Bevan, the whole property ton 'l4)od; insured in the Royal Exchange Office. Addle street, No. 16—Mr. Price, tailor, serious damage by r emoval and other causes; insured in the Protestant b issenters' Office. Addle-street, No. 14 Messrs. Pearson and Co., Manchester warehousemen, like d amage; insured in the Law and Legal Fire O ffi ces. Also several damages to the buildings at the rear of Addle -street. Accounts have reached the city from Port-au- Prince to the 4th of February. Just previous to the close of the Legislative Council the budget for 1849 had ueen brought forward. In this document credits were opened on the side of expenditure for an amount of 7 ,092,835 dolls., but of the whole of which it was not thought the Government would avail itself. The net available revenue was estimated at 5,898,550 dolls., and should additional means be required for the service of the State, recourse would be had to increased paper issues in . the shape of notes or treasury bonds. Regula tions continued in force with respect to the decrees passed for reducing the gross amount of depreciated paper cur rency in circulation, but it was questioned whether they would effect much benefit. Spanish doubloons were quoted 120 to 124; patriot doubloons, 116 to 120; Spanish gourdes, 7.50; and Mexican gourdes, 7. - - ROYAL ENGINEERS.—The changes in this depart ruent have commenced by the removal of Lieut. Clarke to New Zealand. Short a time as this promising young Officer has been among us, he has won the regard of a numerous circle of acquaintance. Nor was it only in his Private character that he was esteemed. For a time he filled the office of private secretary and aide-de-camp, in both of which his conduct and courtesy gave universal a atisfaction, a matter, especially in the latter instance, of no trifling difficulty, when we remember that on the first arri va l stra nge to the Governor in the colony , and himself to the colonists, he had need of much nicer tact than is often found in so young an officer.—HobartTown A dvertiser, Sept. 5, 1848. ur THE STANFIELD- BALL MIJRDERS.—WYMONDHAM, " EDNESDAT NIGHT.—The serious apprehensions con sequent upon the recent assassinations at Stanfield-hall, Which had to some extent subsided, have been revived Within the last few days, in consequence of too well nunded rumours that the life of Mrs. Jermy is despaired ?f, and that there is little or no hope of the recovery of . 1 2k .1. servant maid, Eliza Chestney. It will be recollected that Mrs. Jermy was wounded by the assassin in the el bow joint of her right arm. Owing, however, to the Judiciou s medical treatment she received there appeared t o be no reason to fear that unfavourable results would e i n aue. On Monday morning, however, the symptoms . 0 0k an a d ve rse turn, and the limb has now been ampu tated. Although the operation was performed with N orwich skill, under the direction of Mr. Nicholls, of urwich, and Mr. Tunneley, of Wymondham, the shock Which has been sustained by the unfortunate lady is so e vere that there is not the slightest hope that she will ii re 24 h ou rs longer. The life of Eliza Chestney, Mrs. a e rnly's servant maid, and one of the principal witnesses at the forthcoming trial, is also despaired of. 1 , IMPORTATION or CHESNIJTS.—The steamer City of I, 4o tterda m has arrived at one of the wharfs adjoining ' u ndon-bridge, having on board au entire cargo of Ch esnut; t in bulk from Bayonne. We believe that t l3 is the first instance of a steam-ship having been en :.ell freighted with nuts of any description, and the ar. 44 to, therefore, somewhat remarkable. In consequence : 3 1 f f the ca r go b e i ng i n b u lk, it was f oun d, on the discharge hale vessel, that the heat of the engine-room and fires nuts Which considerable e ff ect on the portion of the 41 / Which were on that side of the Tours hold. BANK OF ENGLAND.—(THIS DAY.) A general meeting of the proprietors of Bank Stock wa , : hold this day, at twelve o'clock, in tile Court-room of the Bauk, to consider of a dividend. Mr. Morris, th: Governor, occupies' the chair. The attendance of proprietors was very large. The minutes of the previous Court ha , , isg been confirmed, The GOVERNOR said he bad the honour to acquaint the proprietors that that was one of the half-yearly General Courts appointed by the bye-laws, to consider o. a dividend. He had the pleamre to state that the interest and profits of the last half year, ending on the sth of April, exceeded the funds out of which the dividend of three and a half per cent. was ordinarily declared by the sum of 35,8131. 3s. 2d. —(Cheers)—and that the amount of rest, after the divi dend should have been paid, would amount to 3,843,8621. 2s. 9d. An opinion had been expressed in that Court for several years, that 3,000,0001. was a sufficient sum for the purpose of carrying on the transactions of the Bank. The Court of Directors did not feel called upon on the present occasion to state whether or not a rest of that amount should be maintained.—(Cheere.) The directors were of opinion that a dividend of three-and a- half might be maintained with the present amount of rest. They, therefore, proposed on the present occasion that a dividend of five-and-a-half per cent., being the usual dividend of three-and-a-half per cent. v<ith two per cent. additional, might be declared if the Court of Proprietors thought fit, out of the interests and profits of the half-year. After the payment of the dividend of five-and-a-half per cent., the rest would be reduced 3,043,4471. The object of substituting an additional di vidend iu lieu of a bonus, was in order that those who had only a life interest in the stock might participate in the profits.—(Cheers.) He begged, therefore, to pro pose, if the Court of Proprietors should think fit, that a dividend of 5i per cent. out of the interest and profits of the half-year, ending on the sth of April next, without any deduction on account of income-tax, should be de clared.—(Cheers.) The whole of the proprietors voted for the proposition, which was much applauded. Alderman SALomosts said, as he intended to have pro posed a motion, with respect to the " rest," he thought it due to the Directors and the Proprietors, to state why he had determined to withdraw it. It was most gratify • ing to find the Directors speaking in decided language that with a rest of 3,000,0001. a dividend of 71. :per cent. for the year could with safety be maintained. The rest formed a new portion of the capital which :pro vided the interest out of which they derived their dividends, and the Proprietors, he considered, would act most improperly if they urged upon the Directors any course of policy which might tend to lessen the amount of the dividends. It was, indeed, most gratifying to find that the Directors, after carefully examining the affairs of the Bank, considered that a large surplus might be divided among the Proprietors without injury to the Bank. He believed that they were much indebted for the announcement the Chairman had made to the improved management of the affairs of the Bank. They had this day learned the gratifying intelligence that not only could a dividend of 7 per cent. be maintained, but that it could be increased, whilst the rest was maintained at an amount amply sufficient for the operations of the Bank. Mr. DE WINTON expressed his gratification at the announcement made by the Governor as one'who had for many years taken a deep interest is the affairs of the Bank. Had Si per cent. for the half-year been proposed instead of 5i for the same period, he should have proposed an amendment. He hoped the Governor would promise before they went further, that the amount of dividends proposed that day would be continued. (Much laughter.) They were much indebted for the announcement made by the Governor to the good management introduced into the Transfer Office five years ago by Mr. Smee, the chief accountant, and Mr. Cooper. In his opinion, a rest of 1,000,000/. was sufficient to carry on the operations of the Bank.—(A laugh and cries of " No, no.")—He was an old banker, and in his opinion that sum was quite sufficient for carrying on its operations.—(Loud cries of " No, no.") At any rate, be begged to propose, that until the Lrest was reducedi to 1,000,000/., that a dividend at the rate of five-and-a-half per cent. for the half-year should be paid. Mr. CLARLE considered that Mr. De Winton should compliment instead of condemn the Directors for the proposition they had made. Mr. DE WINTON said he did not condemn them—he was perfectly satisfied at the amount of the dividend. Mr. CLARKE said the Directors had introduced a great improvement in proposing a rest of 3,000,0001., and they deserved the utmost thanks of the proprietors for coming to the determination they had with respect to the dividend, since they thereby admitted the great principle that the life annuitant should enjoy during his life his legitimate share of the profits which he had assisted, during that period, to create. To compel them to work with a fixed rest would be an act of great impropriety. Besides, after such a propo sition, it would ill become the proprietors to propose the reduction of the rest. The affairs of the Bank must at all times be a matter of great anxiety to the directors. It would not be well, therefore, to press upon them a proposition which might add to that anxiety, and pre vent them, perhaps, from carrying on their affairs prosperously. If the rest was not sufficient it could be added to hereafter, but the present, before the experi ment had been tried, was not the time. The experience of commercial men was, he believed, with the direc tors—that the affairs of the Bank could he carried on prosperously with a rest of 3,000,000/.—(Hear.) Under all the circumstances, and considering that the Court of Directors had determined to fix the rest at 3,000,000 L, he did hope that hereafter no more discus sions would be raised upon that subject.—(Hear, hear.) Sir PETER LAURIE—WeII, I think it is time this dis cussion was put an end to, and I shall move at once a vote of thanks to the Governor, Deputy-Governor, and Directors.—(Hear, hear.) The GOVERNOR remarked that the main question had not been disposed of yet. A PROPRIETOR wished to ask a question on the position in which that part of the assets called " Go vernment Securities" stood.—(Hear.) At the last Court it was stated that if these securities were taken at the then market price there _would be a difference against the Bank of 200,0001. The GOVERNOR—About that, I think. The PROPRIETOR took it for granted, then, that the improvement in the prices of public Stock and Exche quer-bills would materially change that position. — (Hear.) He thought, however, the public anxiety upon this point would be somewhat relieved if it were stated now whether or not any such loss would result to the 'Bank from the sale of the securities at present prices. The GOVERNOR was happy to inform the Court that at the present prices the balance would be in their favour.—(Hear.) He would take that opportunity of stating, that as the present rate of dividend exceeded the last, it was necessary, in conformity with the Act of Parliament, that the same should be confirmed by a bal lot, in the ordinary manner. Sir PETER LAURIE hoped his motion for a vote of thanks would be carried by acclamation. Of course, if there were any dissentients they were at liberty to vote against it.—(A laugh.) But he would not take up the time of the Court in speaking, because the directors, in proposing an increased dividend, had complimented themselves and the proprietors, and proved that they well merited the confidence:of the Court.—(Cheers.) Mr. DE WINTON would second the motion with much pleasure, and in doing so he begged leave to protest against the insinuation that he had censured the direc tors in any way.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Alderman Senoatores must be allowed to say a few words more. No doubt, votes of thanks were most gratifying and agreeable to the directors, and he for one hoped they would set them offagainst the votes of censure which they must necessarily encounter in the ordinary course of managing an establishment like this.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) He hoped it would be distinctly understood that the suggestion ho was about to make emanated entirely from himself, while he must at the same time assure the proprietors that, not only had he not communicated with the directors on the subject, but he had not even hinted it to them.—(Hear, hear.) Now the Governor and Deputy-Governor had most onerous duties to perform, and considerable responsibi lity rested upon their shoulders in conducting this ex tensive concern.—(Hear, hear.) The Governor and Deputy-Governor ought always to be in the house, oc cupying themselves in the affairs of the Bank, instead of attending to their own private business. Still he did not think they ought to make these salaried offices like the Chancellor of Exchequer of the Government, where the inducement for seeking the office was its emolu ments, but it ought rather to be looked upon in the light of an honour conferred upon the individual who filled it.—(Hear, hear.) The perquisites of the Governor and Deputy-Governor, however, only amounted to something like 4001. a year, which he thought was hardly a sufficient remuneration for the in dustry, skill, and ability they brought to their service, and he wished to put it to the proprietors, whether they would not have a stronger claim upon the exertions of those gentleman if their remuneration wore more than 400/. a year.—(Hear.) Sir PETER LAURIE would certainly object to that, be cause he did not want the individual who held the post of Governor to consider it an office of profit. It was a position of honour—(Hear, hear)—and they never would get good men to aspire to it unless they got men to devote their time to it for the sake of the honour it conferred upon them.—(Cheers.) It would degrade the office to pay its occupier, and he was sorry that the sug gestion had been made.—(Hear, hear.) But if it were made as a formal proposition, he should vote against it with pleasure.—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) Now, then, no more talk, and let those who thought the Governor, Deputy-Governor, and the Directors, deserved their confidence and thanks, signify the same by holding up their hands.—(Laughter.) The motion was carried by acclamation. The GOVERNOR, in ackEiowledging the compliment, said I assure you we are extremely gratified to bear the kind expressions which have been made use of on the present occasion.—(Hear, hear.) It is perfectly true that the duties of the Governor and Deputy-Governor require our most constant attention. Perhaps I may say that during the time I have had the honour of filling this chair I have scarcely been able to leave London for a single day.—(Hear, hear.) At the same time, whenever I meet with the kind expression of your feelings of satisfaction I consider that to be ample remuneration for my services. —(Cheers.) I beg to return you our best thanks for the compliment you , have paid us, and to move that this Court do now adjourn to the 20th inst., from 11 o'clock till 4 o'clock, to take the determination of the proprie tors by ballot on the question of the resolution declaring the dividend.—(Hear, hear.) The motion was unanimously agreed to, and the Court adjourned accordingly. We have received files of papers from the Cape of Good Hope to the 10th of January inclusive. They bring no intelligence of interest, further than that tran quillity prevails throughout the colony. - -TTHE - SUN, LONDON, LITERATURE. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. A Digest of the Productive Resources, Commercial Legislation, Customs Tarffs, Navigation, Port, and Quarantine Laws, and Charges, Shipping, Imports and Ex ports, and the Moneys, Weights, and Measures of all Nations ; including ail British Commercial Treaties with Foreign States. Collected from Authentic Records, and Consolidated with Especial Reference to British and Foreign Products, Trade, and Navigation. By John Macgregor, M.P., Late Secretary of the Board of Trade; Author of " The Progress of America, from the Discovery by Columbus to the Year 1847." Vol. [THIRD NOTICE.] The history of the rise and extension of the British power in India is given at considerable length, and Mr. Macgregor concludes his chapter on the history of British India with the following list of the territories comprised within the sovereignty of the East India Company, with the dates of their acqui sition : " 1688. Bombay. 1757. The twenty-four Pergunnahs. 1759. Masulpatain, &c. 1760. Burdwan, Midnapore, and Chittagong. 1765. Bengal, Behar, and Orissa. 1765. Jaghire, near Madras. 1766. Northern Circars. 1775. Zamindary of Benares. 1776. Island of Salsette. 1778. Nagore. 1786. Pulo-Penang. 1788. Guntor Circar. 1792. Malabar, Dindigul, Salem, &c. 1799. Coimbatore, Canara, Wynaad, and Tanjore. 1800. Nizam's acquisitions from Tippoo Sultan. 1801. Carnatic,Goruckpore, Lower Dooab,Bareilly,&c. 1802. Districts in Bundolcund. 1803. Kuttack, Balasore, Upper Dooab, Delhi, &c. 1805. Districts in Guzerat. 1815. Knmaon, and part of Nepanl. 1817. Saugur, Huttah, Darwar, &c. 1818. Candeish, Ajmere, districts on the Nerbudda, Sumbhulpore, Patna, Poonah, Konkun, South ern Mabratta Country. 1820. Lands in Southern Konkun. 1822. Districts in Bejapore, and Ahmednuggur. 1824. Island of Singapore. 1825. Malacca. 1826. Assam, Arracan, Tavoy, Ye, Tennasserim, &c. 1832. Cachar. 1834. Coorg, Loodhiana, and adjoining district. 1835. Jynteeah. 1839. Aden. 1840. Kurnoul. 1841. Jalown. 1843. Sinde. Add to these the territories acquired by the victories in the Punjaub, with the dependent and occupied states, and the British empire in India may be said almost to include the vast regions from the Himalaya Mountains south to Cape Comorin." The total area of British India is 512,923 square miles, and the total population is estimated at 89,470,152. The quantity and value of the products of such a territory are enormous, but " Both quantity and value are lamentably deficient, when compared with the number of the population and the extent of cultivated and cultivable soil. If, for ex ample, we take merely a cursory view of the produce of agricultural labour in the United States of America, with 18,000,000 inhabitants, of whom so very great a number follow countless other occupations than that of ealti vating the soil ; and then turn to the more than 100,000,000 inhabitants of India, who are chiefly engaged in agriculture, the quantity and value of the products yielded by the cultivated soils of the latter will then appear deplorably beneath those produced by the skill, energy, and industry of the cultivators of the North American soils. To what causes are we to at tribute this disproportionate difference with regard to, chiefly the exportable products of India, where the wages of labour are, almost infinitely, lower than even slave labour in the United States? We may presume to attribute the reality of the deficient exportable pro ducts of India, not to the soil or climate, nor to the want of abundant and cheap labour, but to various other causes. " First—To, in a great degree, the natural dispositions, hereditary customs, training, castes, laws, and local cir cumstances of the ludian races. " Secondly—To the stationary condition of the in. habitants for many centuries in the arts and sciences, and of the mechanical appliances in aid of labour, whether in agriculture or in manufactures. " Thirdly—To the generally frugal and temperate habits of the Hindoos, whose actual necessities are limited to the simplest and cheapest food. " Fourthly—ln a considerable degree, but not by any means to the great extent generally believed, to the ancient and prevailing system of taxation in India. " There are many other local and minor causes; but the foregoing are quite sufficient to account for the rude. ness of all agricultural implements—the general want of roads, the deficient products of the soil, and the imper fect preparations of those products for the markets of the world, and particularly for the markets of Europe, espe cially of those products, such as cotton wool, with which the crops of America compete so triumphantly as raw materials for manufacture. A full examination of the principal causes which impede the development of the almost inexhaustible resources of India, is far beyond the scope of this work,—and we need only remark, that the British Parliament will, most assuredly, when the East India Company's charter must, in a short period, be fully reconsidered, insist, before that charter is re newed, upon the following points in the future policy of India being thoroughly carried into effect._ " First-=Adopting, with the most practically effective means and without delay, measures for opening commu nications, especially by railways, over the interior of India, in order to carry the products of the soil cheaply to markets, and the manufactured articles imported to the places of use, or consumption, within the different presidencies, including the dependent states. " Second—A general revision of the whole system of taxation, including the abolition of monopolies and all differential customs' duties, and of duties between one presidency or state and another presidency or state in India. " Third—Adopting means for introducing and using the best agricultural implements over all parts of India; and "Fourth—Abolishing as speedily as can be effected without bloodshed and violence, and with reasonably equitable compensation, the impotent, but still oppres sive remnants of native governments, in order to estab lish one general mild and just, yet firm and efficient government over all India. " Having very great confidence in the practical views of the East India directors, we believe that they will apply their energetic attention to those great objects which are required by the whole condition of the Indian empire; and that they will all be fully in progress before the expiration of a charter, the non•renewal of which we should deplore. The first three are at the present time considered part of the Indian system embraced in the administration of the directors ; and, events will render the fourth an imperative course of policy." It is not until these remedial measures shall have been adopted, and until the cotton districts more especially shall be so intersected by railroads as to afford to every cotton cultivator a cheap, a rapid, and a safe means of transit, that we can hope to derive anything like a supply of the finer sorts of raw cotton from India. If the present methods of transit, by which the cotton is damaged materially en route to the port of embarkation, were superseded by railroads, there then would be a stimulus given to the cultivator to be more careful in his harvesting and preparing the cotton for the market ; but until such shall be the case we fear that we shall not derive any very large portion of our supply of the most valuable sorts of cotton from India. From the low prices of wheat in India it has been imagined that we might expect a large annual supply of corn from that country, and when we consider that in Bengal in 1846 the price of wheat was 16s. Bd. per quarter, in the Deccan 14s. ltd., at Sanger from 58. Gd. to 7s. GP., at Nagpore, 103. 10d., and in the Goojrat, in a year of scarcity, 17s. 11d., the idea of our deriving a large supply of wheat becomes very feasible ; but it appears from the statistics collected by Mr. Macgregor that it is only in years of scarcity in England that it will answer the purposes of the speculator to import wheats from India : " the lowest price stated of Odessa wheat be taken, Vis. per quarter, and the lowest rate of freight, 6s. 6d. per quarter, then a ton of wheat would be introduced into England at a cost of 116 s. Bd. for the cost price of the wheat, and 30s. 3d. for freight, making a total cost per ton of 1465. 11d. Freights from India vary ex cessively ; but assuming a very high freight of 61. or 100 s. per ton, and taking the average of all the averages of the price of wheat—namely, 13s. ld. per quarter or 61s. per ton, then the cost of a ton of Indian wheat landed in England would be 1615., and in ordinary seasons it would not be worth a speculator's while to im port it from India. But with respect to other grains, some of which are three or four times cheaper than wheat, the same objection would not exist, and they might be imported to a great profit, even in ordinary seasons, could a taste for them be induced. But in seasons of scarcity like that of the past year, when the price of wheat has varied in the London market from 578. per quarter (2665. per ton, in November, 1846), to 102 s. per quarter (4765. per ton, on January Ist, 1847), then India may be looked to with confidence for a supply, rendering large profits to the importer ; India having the advantage also of ripening its grain crops in January and February, five months before those of Europe are available. It may be objected that a larger demand upon India would greatly raise prices, and probably per manently so; but my reply to this objection is, that about two-fifths of the whole fertile soil of India are at present untitled, and would necessarily be brought into cultivation to meet an increased demand for cereal supplies." - - The resources of India are very great, and they have never yet been properly developed. On this point Mr. Macgregor says— " The projected railways which in time must be executed—the canals which have been to some extent executed—and the late successful attempts to navigate the rivers of India, are the great means by the aid of which the great sources of India are to be developed. And we trust that during the period which remains un expired of the East India Company's charter, the di rectors and the Board of Control, will decide upon measures, which will fully justify the Parliament in re newing that charter," We trust that the admonitions of Mr. Macgregor will not be thrown away, and that the East India THURSDA Company will at once proceed to perfect the means of ' transit in India, as the only method by which the resources of that mighty country can be properly and efficiently developed. This volume contains not only the commercial statistics of British India properly so called, bu+ also those of Ceylon, Singapore, Penang, Malacca, and our possessions in the Indian seas. The story of the marvellous progress of Singapore is now familiar to all; we shall therefore not dwell upon it. But the history of Malacca is not so we ll k nown , an d its story should' operate as: a warning to those who would fain give up a possession because temporarily it may be unprofitable to m a i n t a i n it. The city of tilalaeca was ono a the oldest of the European settlements in India. It belonged sue cesively to the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the Eng lish East India Company, but " The establishment of Pulo Penang, having super seded the necessity of maintaining it, the Company came to the resolution, in 1805, of withdrawing the garrison and stores from Malacca and its dependencies; and, previous to the abandonment of the place, the for and public works of all descriptions were com pletely demolished, so as to render it of the least pos t sible value to the enemy, in case it should ever again come into his possession. Many of the inhabitants, with their families and effects, repaired to Prince of Wales' Island, and established themselves under the Company's protection." The place thus abandoned by the English was on the point of falling into the possession of another country, but fortunately the discoverers of the tin mines, with which Malacca abounds, were Chinese and Malays instead of Americans, and we were con-- sequently enabled to re-occupy Malacca and to secure the mineral riches of the country for ourselves. Mr. Macgregor is fully aware of the immense importance of securing the trade with the Eastern Archipelago. It will open to us the largest market for the sale of British manufactures in the world. " Malacca is undoubtedly, in its natural resources, a very rich country, abounding in useful woods, minerals, and fertile soils, with w--- many good harbours ; and, this Italian-like in form peninsula, with the numerous and almost uncultivated islands, in the straits and of the coasts of Malacca—and with Sumatra, as a gigantic Scilly of the Indian Sea, and Java, as it were an Oriental Crete, with Borneo and the other great and small and enterprise, bee n extended fertile islands of the Eastern A rc hi pelago, h ave a l ready opened the most ample fields for t ra d e an d nav i gat i on, which must rapidly be developed by th e gen i us, s kill , and intellige speedy commnucnek steam to those seas and islands. d by the b 3• oaftiecnoammwheriechial have 4 : l ::! , i , t h F s f e t a h ra o c f te , r g employments. ents. " In the Eastern Archipelago the inhabitants are re markablysibeand forests, to the They both diversities in pre cariouscom- mercial classes; subsistence from i then theirwildest o. t d r Javanese, who cultivates the fertile soil of that island; from the petty trader, who collects the scattered produce of the interior, to the Chinese capitalist, who rece i ves it from him, and disperses it again to more distant regions, situated between the continent of China on the one hand, and of India on the other; and fu rn i s hi ng to Europe the means of an extensive commerce. " ' By means of the variety of its tribes, their inter mixture and connexion with each other, and the accessible nature of the coasts, washed by the smoothest seas in tho world; while large and navigable rivers open com• munication with the interior, the stimulus of this com merce is propagated in saccessives waves through the whole, may be, to an extent that could not otherwise have been obtained. Thus the savage and intractable Batta collects and furnishes the camphor and benjamin, the spontaneous produce of his woods ; the equally bar barous Dyak and wild Harrafurn ransack the bowels of the earth for its gold and its diamonds; the inhabitant of the Soolo, seeks for the pearl beneath the waters that surround him, and others traverse the shores f or th e tripang or sea slug, or descend into its rocky caverns for the Chinese luxury of birds' nests. Ascending from these, we find the more civilized Sumatr an, whose agri • culture is yet rud e , e mployed i n the raising of pepper; the native of Moluccas in the culture of the nutmeg and the clove; the still higher Javan and Siamese, besides their abundant harvests of rice, supplying Europe with their coffeee and sugar ; and all impelled and . set in motion by the spirit of commerce. Not less var ied are the people who collect this produce from all these different quarters, till it is finally shipped for Europe, In a, and China ; from the petty bartering trader, who brings it from the interior to the ports and mouths of the river; the Malay, who conveys it from port to port; the more adventurous Bugguese, who sweeps the remote shores to concentrate their produce at the emporia, to th e . Chinese merchant, who sends his junks laden with this accumu lated produce, to be dispersed through the empire of China, and furnishes Europeans with the cargoes of th e i r ships. Through the same diverging channels are again circulated the manufactures of India and Europe; and thus a constant intercourse and circulation is maintained through the whole. How much this intercourse is faci litated by the nature of the countries, broken into in numerable islands, may be readily conceived, and the vastness of the field may be inferred, from the extent to which its commerce has actually been carried under every disadvantage of monopolizing policy, and of in security of person and property, by which the condition of the people has been depressed, and their increase prevented. When we consider that they are placed at the very threshold of China, a country overflowing with an enterprising and industrious population, anxious and eager to settle where ver security and prot ec ti on are afforded, that it is this people who have chiefly con tributed to maintain and support the energies of the native population, and have diffused the stimulus of their own activity wherever they have settled; and that protection against despots and pirates only is wanted to accumulate them in any num b ers , t o crea t e , it m ay be said, a second China, the resources and means of this extraordinary archipelago, will appear without limits. " Borneo and the Eastern Islands may become to China what America is already to the nations of Europe. The superabundant and overflowing population of China affords an almost inexhaustible source, of colonization; while the new and fertile soil of these islands offers the means of immediate and plentiful subsistence to any numbers who may settle in them. How rapidly, under such circumstances, these colonies may increase in po pulation, where the climate is at least as congenial to the Chinese as that of America to Europeans, may be readily conceived from the experience which the latter has afforded. The wealth of their mines, and the extent of their own native population, added to the greater proximity of China, are advantages which were not en joyed by America, and must contribute to accelerate the progress of colonization.'—From a number of the Calcutta Journal. " The above extract, written some years ago at Cal cultta, applies with equal f orce to t h e presen t condition of the straits settlements, and islands, and . of the Eastern Archipelago. The future of those regions must be great." We would commend this passage to the attentive consideration of those who object to our having colonized Labuan, and who would fain leave to the Dutch the monopoly of the trade with the Eastern Archipelago. The present volume completes this very valuable work, and we cong ra t u l a t e M r. Macgregor on having presented to the world the most complete, the most valuable, and the most accurate work on commercial statistics that has ever appeared in any language. HISTORY of the THIRTY YEARS' PEACE. .art V. -Ist and 2d Half. Having arrived, with the termination of these two numbers, at the mem ora bl e year o f 1830, the he re conti nuation of the Pictori a l Hi story o f is England embellished with two ad m i ra bl e maps o f Paris, giv ing the eastern and west ern di v i s i on o f that capital. We well remember the m a p s i n ques ti on as originally published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. The narrative itself is sufficiently . mas culine to screen the authorship from the detection of the uninitiated. ---_— DRURY-LANE.—CIRQUE NATIONAL DE PARIS.— performances at this theatre, On Tuesday evening an acc id en t occurred during the which might have been attended with serious con se quences. Madile. Amagliu, while going through her surprising exercises " on a bare-backed steed," apparently by some sudden slip of the horse, fell from him with much force. Her head came in collision with the wall of the cirque, and she was carried out, seemingly much hurt. She, however, soon came forward, and, amidst the congratulating cheers of the spectators, curtsied her a cknowledgments to the au dience, and proved to them at the same time that the accident was not of a serious character. The rest of the programme was very admirable, and went off with great éclat, as well as to the decided amusement of all present. The riding was excellent and interesting; the entertain.. ments were very varied, and alt o g ethe r diverting; the " eccentricities" of Messrs. Au ri ol , Leclair, Young Auriol, and Mohamet Ben Said, were peculiarly accept able, as re li e f f rom the more sedate proceedings; whil e the jug g l er y of M. Siegriest; the B ottle - equilibrist achievements of M. Auriol; the Dance of the Four Globes, by MM. Henri and Leroy; the Leap of Streamers ' by Madile. D uces , &e g wer e particularly effective. The theatre was very well attended . DEPTFoRD DOCKYARD, M ARCH 14 . — The names of about 120 mec h a nics and labourers of this dockya r d, and 20 coopers and 30 labourers o f t h e Victualling-yard, have been returned to the A dmiralt y preparatory to that number of men being superannuated or di scharged from those places at the expiration of the present month, understand in order to commence the next financial year on an eco nomical system in the working and labouring branches of the dockyard establishments. , will be appointed that James :F e at RnmieFsrCs appointednr a iP fu o r s r d h , e F i r ; s ff E q l L . o , T f u o t a s h n e e l o c ß f o E u t hn—et county advocate-deputes, Perth,e ate-d e p u t e s , vacant in place of Mr. by the death of Robert Wigham, Esq. The Dumfries to oCourierherstates Majesty's that Gee. advocates Young,. d E e s p q u . Crawfurd. THE EARL OF AIRLIE.—We regret to hear that, from time to time, very unfavourable accounts are re ceived from London regarding the health of the Earl of Airlie. His Lordship left for the metropolis about three weeks since, for the purpose of consulting two or three eminent members of the faculty, and we learn that these gentlemen do not hold out hopes of a speedy recovery. The nature of his Lordship's illness prevents the possibility of swallowing anything but liquids, and these in very small quantities.--Denthe Warder. , LOYAL UNITED FRIENDS.—It is the intention of President Woodman, and his officers of the No. 3 Lodge to pay a visit to President Clayton, at the No. 5 Lodge, at Treasurer Fox's, the Prince Albert, Hoxton-square, on Wednesday evening, the 28th instant, which is ex petted to be very numerously attended. EVENING-, MARCH l5, THE INDIAN VICTORY(►), a, a,. Tai' ijB77 StalivTi.—Sornocr_rs. Droop thy head, my country, now, Though the world thy sorrows 4e - e; With the cypress bind thy brow, 'Tis a time of woe for thee. Mourn the thousands of thy sons Iu their flush of manhood slain, Where the tide of Jhelum runs, Critnsoned through the battle plsin. O'er thy glory's sun on high Clouds foreshowiug ill have passed; Darkly now their shadows lie Like a shroud around thee cast. Oh the shame to hear it told, British soldiers fly and yield On the far-famed spot of old, Alexander's battle-field. Spirits of the mighty dead, Did ye hover 'mid the fight When the iron death-bolts sped, When the red fires scared the night? Did ye mark, then, turn and flee Men who ne'er had flinched before, And amid the tumult see Coward fears their hearts creep o'er? 'Twas the flesh that sunk to earth, Crushed amid the battle's din— Worn and weak, 'twas litle worth, Though proud spirits throbbed within. Men of England, ask of those In whose hands your power is given, Why your brothers 'gainst their foes Were like beasts to slaughter driven? Say, shall deeds like this be done?— Shall they still unheeded fall? Every father, brother, son, Earnestly on you I call. Southwark. J. B. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. COVENTRY STEEPLECHASES.-TUESDAY (coN CLUDED). The Hack Steeplechase was won by Mr. Claridge's Accidental (Jellings), distancing Countess and Fairy. THURSDAY. The Hunt Steeplechase Stakes of 10 sovs. each, h ft, and 25 added. Three miles. Mr. Bedford's The General, 12st (Lord Strathmore) Lieut.• Colonel Richardson's Chance, lOst Captain W. Peel nd My Uncle, 12st Won in a canter. The Handicap Steeple Chase, of 5 sovs. each, and 30 added. Four miles. (13 Subs.) Mr. W. Taylor's Queen of Hearts, lost 71b (Owner) 1 Mr. Cartwright's Justice to England, lOst 51b ... 2 Mr. Welfit's Oily Gammon, lOst ... 3 Lord Lurgan's Sobriety, list... 4 The following also ran:—Slashing Painter, lOst 91b; Camphine, lOst Slb; Merryman, lOst; Lucy Neal, lOst; and Cynthia, 9st 121 b. Won easy by a length. The Free Handicap Hurdle Stakes of 10 soya. each, and 100 added. Two miles. (18 Subs ) ... 2 ... o ... (Archer) 1 Mr. Denham nd Yardarm, lOst 41b Lord Lurgan's Fugitive, lOst 101 b Mr. Eskrett's Exhort, list 31b Tallyho, list 61b; Urania, 11 st 31b; Mosque, lOst 121 b; Widrad, lOst 121 b; Wild Hero, lOst 101 b; Solace, lOst 101; Miss Collingwood, lOst 61b; and Ballybar, lOst 31b, also started. Yardham made all the running, and won a fine race with Fugitive, cleverly. ROYAL LEAMINGTON GRAND ANNUAL STEEPLECHASE. Handicap for the Grand Annual Steeplechase Stakes of 25 sovs. each, 85 ft, and 5 only if declared on or before the 21st inst., with 100 added. Four miles. st lbi Peter Simple Chandler Proceed Tho Doctor Victim ll 2 Master Bobbin Wolverhampton lO 13 British Yeoman lO 12 Knight of G wynne lO 11 Pullaway lO 9 Itachael Firefly lO 9 Prince George Dicky Misfortune Alfred lO 5 Hope Father Mathew lO 4 Thurgartoa . 10 1 Flycatcher The Page Abd-el•Kader. Chatham 9 13 Mosque NORTIIUMBERLANI st lbJ st lb Verax 9 12 Lansquenet Chaldean 9 11 Little Fanny Alice Gray 9 11 Venom Israelite Camphine Solace Vengeance Fugitive Link Boy The Young 'U❑ 9 6 Duncan Gray 9 5 Sir Henry The Witch 9 5 Grenade Merriman Ballybar 9 3 Cynthia Vindictive Sparta 8 10 PLATE WEIGHTS. st lb Lord Saltouu, aged 6 4 Whiz-gig, 4 yri Miss Harrison, 4 yrs Maid of my Soul, 4 Footstool, 8 yrs - Cossack, 5 yrs Ellerdalo, 5 yrs 8 7 Inheritress, aged Flatcatcher, 4 yrs 8 4 Canezou, 4 yrs 8 4 Limestone, 5 yrs Executor, 5 yrs The Tartar, 5 yrs Dough, 4 yrs 7 I I Shylock, 4 yrs Swiss Boy, 4 yrs Plaudit, aged... ..... Ballinafad, 5 yrs Fireaway, aged 7 3 l Joc o'Sot, 5 yrs 7 3 I Vesta, 5 yrs Ellerslie, 4 yrs 7 2 Finvaragh, 6 yrs Bingham, 5 yrs 7 0 John Cossur, 4 yrs Sylvan, 4 yrs Athelstane, 4 yrs 7 0 Distaffina, 4 yrs Keleshea, 5 yrs Camphine, 4 yrs Eagle's Plume, 4 yrs 6 13 Railway King, 5 yrs 6 11 Great Western, 4 yrs, 6 11 Headsman, 6 yrs: 6 10 Escape, 4 yrs Big Jerry, 4 yrs Tom-tit, 5 yrs Ellen Loraine, 4 yrs 6 8 Sheraton, 6 yrs 6 6 1 Impertinence, C. 4 yrs 6 5i Malton, 4 yrs yrs 6 2 I The Convict, 4 yrs 6 0 ) Vanguard, 3 yrs Vermicelli, 4 yrs 5 10 Primrose, 4 yrs 5 10 Fleur do Seine, 4 yrs. 5 10 Belus, 3 yrs Westow, 3 yrs 5 8 Nunnykirk, 3 yrs 5 7 Thringarth, 3 yrs 5 5 Kennington, 3 yrs .. 5 5 Cast Steel c, 3 yrs The Knout, 3 yrs 5 5 Reversion, 3 yrs Abbot of Meaux,3 yrs 5 5 Raby, 3 yrs . 5 3 Lugar, 3 yrs 5 3 Pyrland, 3 yrs 5 3 Andalusian, 3 yrs 5 2 Quiver, 3 yrs 5 0 Puffy, 3 yrs Rodney, 3 yrs Brother to John Arm strong, 3 yrs 4 12 Rowland, 3 yrs 4 12 Alp, 3 yrs 4 12 Wensleydale, 3 yrs Legerdemain, 3 yrs 4 8 The Durbar, 3 yrs Penny Post, 3 yrs Miss Ann, 3 yrs Cocktail (h b), 3 yrs Burghley, 3 yrs COURT CIRCULAR. OSBORNE, WEDNESDAY. Her Majesty and the Prince walked this morning in the grounds at Osborne, and the Prince of Wales and Princess Royal took their usual ride. The younger branches of the Royal Family walked in the Park. There was no addition to the royal dinner party yes terday. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent arrived in town at half-past twelve o'clock yesterday, attended by Sir George Couper, from her residence, Frogmore House, Windsor. Her Royal Highne ss v i s it e d her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester at Gloucester House. In the afternoon her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, accompanied by his Serene Highness Prince Ernest of Leiuingen, left town on her return to Frog.. more House. The Prince of Hohenlohe Waldenbourg has left Marl boroughHouso, the residence of her Majesty the Queen Dowager, for the Continent. The Archbishop of Canterbury had an interview with Loid John Russell yesterday, at his official residence in Downing -street. The Earl of Carlisle gave a dinner to the Cabinet Ministers yesterday evening, at his residence in Gros venor place. Dispatches from the Governor of the Capo of Good Hope were received yesterday at the Colonial-office. Dispatches wero also received yesterday from the Gover nors of the West India Colonies. Lady John Russell gave a sozree yesterday evening, at the official residence of Lord Johu Russell, in Downing street. ASTLEY'S AMPHITHEATRE. The feats of the young Hernandez, the Apollo of the Circus, the most daring, and at the same time, the most graceful equestrian who has ever appeared, continue to draw crowded houses to Astley's every evening. Last night the house was crammed to suffocation, and bouquets innumerable were showered on the young Hernandez. EXTENSIVE ROBBERY AT THE BRIGHTON SAVINGS BANK.—Yesterday information was received by the Metropolitan Police, that Mr. Robert Buckell, actuary of the Brighton Savings Bank, had gone off with 8501., the property of the depositors. WHOLESALE SHEEP STEALlNG.—Yesterday morn ing, between one and two o'clock, the constable on duty in Bishopsgate-street Within, observed two men, of suspicious appearance, driving a large flock of sheep and lambs through that thoroughfare. On interrogating them as to where they were going, they ran away and made their escape. The animals are all marked with red ochre across the loins, and are supposed to have been stolen out of Essex. CABINET DINNEE.—The Earl of Carlisle had a Cabinet dinner last evening at his residence in Grosve nor-place, when the following members of the Cabinet dined with his Lordship :—Lord John Russell, the Mar. quis of Lansdowne, the Marquis of Clanricarde, the Earl of Minto, Earl Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Lord Campbell, the Right lion. Sir George Grey, the Right Hon. Sir F. Thornhill Baring, Sir John Cam Hobhouse, the Right lion. Henry Labouchere, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. LEGAL APPOINTMENTS.—J. Crawfurd, Esq., one of the Deputy-Advocates, has been appointed Sheriff of the county of Perth, vacant by the death of Robert Whig ham, Esq., George Young, Esq., advocate, has been ap pointed one of the four Depute-Advocator, who are now (in the order of their appointment), G e orge Dens, J. M. Bell, E. F. Maitland , and G. Young, Esqs.—Scotsfnan. The Captaincy of St. Mauve's Castle, vacant by the death of Sir George Nugent, will not be filled up. FtitE IN ST. LUKE'S.—Last night, about nine o'clock, the house of Mr. Thomas Scott, a 7, Banner square, was seriously damaged by fire, and the lives of the inhabitants placed in great jeopardy. The occupier wa s insured to the amount of 3001.1 n the Royal Ex change-office. 1249. THE WAR IN THE PUNJAUB. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,—When au angry sense of disaster in war gets possession of the public mind the army engaged is judged in mass, art} condemned as a defeated body, par ticular instances of virtue being disregarded in the gene ral feeling of mortification. This is not good. Heroism comes out clearer when fortune bears hardly than when she is favourable; it is then of a sublimer nature, more chastened and purified for immortality. Permit me, then, through your journal to give the world a state• meat of the touching circumstances attending the deaths of those intrepid soldiers, Brigadier Pennycuick and his self-devoted heroic son, in the recent battle on the Jhelum, introducing it by a rapid sketch of the General's previous services. He entered the army in 1807. His first campaign was in Java in 1811; and he was wounded severely, having fought so well as to draw forth the public ap probation of Sir Samuel Auchmuty and the celebrated Colonel Gillespie. In 1811 he was at the storming of Djokjo Kerbs. In 1813, having command of a small detachment, he displayed such skill and courage, defeating an immense body of insurgents, that he obtained the thanks of the Commander-in-Chief and the Government of Java, and the public approbation of the Governor-General of India, Lord Hastings —no mean judge of military merit. Ile fought again, with distinction, in 1814, at the assault of Boni, in the Celebes ; and during 1825 and 1826 he served against the Burmese. In 1839 he fought under Sir J. Keane and Brigadier Wiltshire, at the storming of Ghuznee and of Khelat, and was the foremost man to enter the last-named fortress. In 1841 he marched out of Aden at the head of 600 men, and gave a signal overthrow to the Arabs. In 1846 he served under Sir Charles Napier in Sinde, and gained the esteem of that General. In 1848, he commanded a brigade in the Punjaub, under Lord Gough, and on the 13th of January, 1849, he died in battle, thus closing a career full of honour, with a soldier's death; and upon his yet warm body fell his young son, a boy worthy of such a father. Let the moving, the painful, but glorious story be simply told. The 24th Regiment marched on the 13th of January. against the Seikh army; it was unsupported, exposed to the full sweep of Seikh batteries, and to the deadly play of their destructive musketry. More than one-half the regiment went down in ten minutes ; the remainder, still stricken by the ar till ery , assailed by thousands of infantry, and menaced by swarms of cavalry, could no longer keep their ground. The elder Pennycuick had fallen, and two soldiers attempted to carry him off while still breathing, but the Seikhs pressed them so closely that, unable to contend, they dropped their honourable burden and drew back. The gallant boy, the son of the noble dead, only seventeen years old, now first aware of his misfortune, sprang forward, sword in hand, be strode his father's body for a moment, and then fell across it, a corpse ! Such, Sir, is the simple tale of the deaths of that brave old man and his boy ; and if it is not sufficient to ob tain for them the honest fame for which they fought so well and died so well—if it does not swell the hearts and moisten the eyes of their countrymen, I know not why generous impulses are component parts of human nature. And the grief-stricken widow—the bereaved mother ! Is she single in her sorrows ? Alas ! no. The widow of the brave Cureton, she also has lost her son as well as her husband on those fatal fields of the Punjaub. Con solation to them must come from God; but the glory of a nation's gratitude and praise should illumine the graves of their husbands and children. March, 18-19. W. N. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,—The letter of " Indicus," in your journal of this day, seems to me to prove the justice of the public feel ing against the employment of the persons called " Poli ticals " in India. He says "the Politicals implored Lord Gough not to attack the enemy," and " wrung from him a promiie ;" " that Sir 11. Lawrence" urgently represented, &c. And in the public dispatches we find that Major Mackeson, being in the camp, " refused to enter into negotiations with Shero Singh;" that he " informed the Commander in -Chief that Chuttur Singh was coming down to join Shore Singh," and therefore urged Lord Gough to ad vance and give battle. I ask if war can be successfully conducted in that manner? Is a Commander-in-Chief to be a mere puppet in the hands of half a dozen young men, chosen because of their having a smattering of languages, or, if you will, because of their promising qualities? War is the most precarious, the nicest of all arts; not only because of the intrinsic difficulties of organizing and governing great bodies, but because one general has to contend against the genius of another general and the energy and combined force of his army. It may be said they are therefore on an equality. True, if there are no " Politicals" on one side. But, Sir, one general may judge rightly, another wrongly; the last surely, if he is governed by Politicals, because secrecy, unity, and promptitude, both of conception and execution, are es sential to success; and a blot will be hit by the force of 50,000 men. If young officers or civilians, elated, and vain of being pushed beyond their regular station, and not habituated to command, are suffered to " advise," to " urge," to " remonstrate," to " inform," ho w can a genera l thus pestered succeed? If he is a man of genius and energy, he will not bear such interference; the submitting to it is proof positive of his incapacity or of his weakness. Look not to what Sir H. Lawrence or others have ad vised; look rather to what happened at Caubul—to what would have happened in Sindo if Major Outram's counsel had been listened to; look to what has occurred in the Punjaub. When the successors of Alexander disputed for com mand, Eumenes set up a tent with an altar to that hero, pretending to receive orders from his ghost! The " Politicals" had better do something of that sort than set up a commander in the flesh who is to move only as they direct. March 14. JHELUM. INDIA. There seems to be a prevalent opinion that our pre sent embarrassments in India are owing no less to the extraordinary character of the enemy than the unusual conduct of the war—that the courage and skill dis played by the Seikhs have never before been shown in the East, and that the strength of position and enormous force of artillery upon which they rely are incidents wholly unparalleled in the annals of Indian campaigning. It is but common justice to the conquerors of former days to state that these conceptions are ensirely erroneous, and if the reader can derive any encouragement from the fact that we have often before been as sorely bested he will be perfectly justified in taking such assurance. The Seikhs, it, is true, have national peculiarities which must always leave them troublesome antagonists, but as far as bravery, obstinacy, and a sage choice of tactics can make an enemy formidable, we have often encoun tered foes who would have given us just as terrible a reception as wo found at Chillianwallah if the same op portunities had been left them. It may be relied upon that one element only is necessary to place our armies in the same relative position to those of the enemy which they hold forty years ego, and thsit element has just been supplied. To lend a lively illustration to these remarks, we will refer to some dispatches of the early part of the century, which carry as much matter of warning as ofinforma tion, and which, though written in days when the Pun jaub was an unknown land, contain instructions ,for conducting an Indian campaign which might have saved us all the calamities we are aow so bitterly lamenting. The correspondents are the present Duke of Wellington and Colonel Stevenson. The enemy was Scinditsh, the famous Mahratta chief, who, though his nation had just experienced at Assaye and Laswarreo defeats as decisive as those at Aliwal cud Sobraon, was never theless abroad with a force sufficient, like that of Shere Singh, to call for all the vigilance and activity which the English commander could exert. We need not point out the lesson which might have been recently learnt from the following advice:— " There are three lines of operation to be adopted; to attack the enemy, to stand his attack, or to draw off towards me. I recommend that you should adopt the first with caution, and only in case of necessity. In respect to the second, it may possibly be worse than the first. " * * In regard to the third, it might be attended with risk and even loss." * * These are certainly no pleasant alternatives, :and a worse choice could hardly have been left us in our camp at Heelah. But observe what comes next. " Supposing that you determine to have a brush wi:h them, I recommend what follows to your con sideration. Do not attack their position, because they always take up such as are confoundedly strong and difficult of access ; for which the banks of the nu merous rivers and nullahs afford them every facility. 1)o not remain in your own position, however strong it may be, or however well you may have intrenched it, but when you shall hear that they aro on their march to attack you, secure your baggage and move out of your camp. You will find them in the common dis order of march; they will not have time to form, being but half-disciplined troops, is necessary for them. At all events, you will have the advantage of making the attack on ground which they will not hay.?. chosen for the battle; a part only of their troops ly_i_u_ s 7 which, gaged, and it is possible that you will gain an " vic tory. Indeed, according to this mode, you 1 am of For my part, the field of battle yourself some days befo re, meet them on that very ground. received on the 23d opinion that after the beating they n ga h n t d c m ho ig o h se t are nut likely to stand of September (at Assaye), they rash ness personified, and I ackn ow ledge I ° us w tained on the 23d, even it for a second; but the natives i o e f dg t e hi i s s c h o o u u n ld try no a t re ltke see again such a loss . as ,,_ (General Wellesley to Colonel attended by such a gain. The result of all these pru dent conclusion s, an co-operation of the d ers, was speedily show n . Th e B r itish Comma ) , d at the first Stevenson, Oct. 12, idsoth3e. two ) saff ' acious o f . B oo rhampore was evacuated cdaettoarlsetritaytion, the forts of Asscerghur and Gawilghur —the keys of the Deccan—fell into our hands; the con clusive victory of A . rgaum was gain e d a t a very sma ll cos t of life, and within six weeks from the date of the correspondence above quoted the formidable Mahratta Chieftain sued humbly for terms, and at length sub mitted to a treaty of peace, which through the remain ing twenty-four years of his life he never again seriously disturbed. If any person imagines that the enemy with whom we had here to deal was in any respect inferior to the Seikhs of the Punjaub, he may readily correct his opinions by a reference to the most accessible histories of that period. No people could fight better than the Mahrattas. Though not natives of that northern climate which is presumed by our correspondent " Civis" to have the ex clusive gift of conferring martial excellence, y e t th ey proved themselve s as hardy, intrepid, and indefatigable soldiers as we have ever found between the Sutlej and the Indus. The battle of Mahidpore, in 1817, though less famous than the actions of Lake and Wellesley, might bear a comparison with the battle of ,Sobraon. Their artillery trains were as powerful as those of Run jeet himself. One hundred and twenty guns ,were in battery at Assaye, including no fewer than 7tr brass pieces of the largest calibre; 72 were taken at Laawar ree, and 68 at Delhi; and when Colonel Monson in his disastrous retreat was pursued by "Talker in person, the Mahratta chief pressed upon our discomfited columns with erthanl7spyiedeeegsreet cdaenpnroecniateNdcifrOn; want tremendous n ofew force in 2n of skill in using it. The Conqueror of Assays l:asa‘ thisoften been heard to say that the French guns at Waterloo were not better served than the Mahratta gun t l on,,- the banks of the Kaitna ; his own di s p a t c h on the occasion records that the infantry " fought well and stood by their pieces to the very last:" and we can confidently appeal to any of the survivors of these scenes in proof of our assertion, that General Perron and his adjutantt ciid as much, to the full, for the discipline of ticindialfs.troops as Generals Ellard and Ventura have done ':for the Seikbs. The truth is, that there is far less difference between the characters of our present and former enemies than we are fain to suppose, and than our intelligent corre spondent " Civis" is wont to presUme. A passage in the dispatch above quoted will show him that his memory deceived him, when he observed, that we have "never before intrenched ourselves in the face of an enemy in India." Indian campaigns demand as much skill, as much forethought, as much military artifice, and as much forbearance as any others, and their almost uniform suc cess has been owing to the almost uniform completeness with which these conditions have been hitherto fulfilled. We have vanquished foes as brave, as wary, and as well disciplined, though not perhaps as vindictive or as un tameable, and there is little reason for fearing that when we bring the same qualities to the work we shall meet with any other than,the same result.—Times. THE GENERAL IN THE PUNJAUB. (From the Spectator.) The pleas on which Lord Gough justifies his sudden but not overwhelming attack on the Siekh force appear to be three—that Chuttur Singh was on the point of joining Shere Singh; that the political agent had inti mated how desirable it was to inflict a blow; and that the Siekhs were quite ready to fight, and if not attacked would have been the assailants. These pleas would have been conclusive, if the assault had been so—if Shere Singh had been effectually routed before Chuttur Singh came up—if the blow had been of a kind to crush, and I not to encourage the Siekhs; but in the absence of such results, the plea does not touch the case as it stands. There is no doubt, a di s p os iti on to " run down " Lord Gough, which deprives the unofficial accounts of the re liance that may usually be placed on concurrent testi mony from many sources; but some of the facts are evi dent enough even in the negative testimony of the official dispatches; and other allegations may easily be put to the test, since they turn upon matters of fact which must be known to competent witnesses. Of this class is the statement that Lord Gough had certain deliberate in tentions which he hastily abandoned in a fit of anger; and that although he knew the ground, he made his at tack without taking sufficient pains to ascertain the posi tion of the enemy. These are statements on points of fact essential to a true judgment on the transactions ; and we presume that they will be duly negatived or affirmed. Other facts are more evident; the battle was begun when the troops were in want of repose, if not of refresh ment. Now, victories have been won by soldiers just off the march through the very surprise; but not when the enemy was safely ensconced in a position whence he could only be dislodged in detail, so that you might as well have hoped to drive a barrel of oysters from their shells by a coup de main. The sequel proved the mis take; the battle was one of detail, demanding persever ance and sustained vigour —an at-it-again spirit, a life of heart which is wanting in men when they are tired and hungry. It is perfectly plai n , f rom t h e Commander-in Chief's own dispatches, that he beg an his battle w ith ou t any comprehensive design , and that when it was go i ng forward he did not hold his army in hand; he neither directed its movements nor commanded its obedience; his very report as commander, in more places than one, is conceived in the vague and doubting language of a person imperfectly informed; and throughout the pas sages that mention the reverses, there is a tone implying that it was all the fault of the subordinate commanders —an inuendo couched in the language of compliment. We all know what is confessed when the parent com plains that his children don't mind him—when the workman complains of his tools. The same dispatch unquestionably stretches the truth to imply a degree of success not warranted by the facts: a small and doubtful success, one which has filled every class in England with dismay, was so described by the unlucky commander, that the Governor-General was induced to celebrate it as a great triumph. The inferences to be:drawn from the soberest survey of these self-evident facts are, that although Lord Gough is as strong and tough in courage as ever he was, he has not developed any faculties beyond those required in every regimental officer, scarcely so much—he is Com mander-in-Chief with a subaltern mind; that he has not faculty of invention, and is wholly at a loss from the time when he comes in front of the army until the fight ing begins; that as he is most at home in the region of hard knocks, he is always eager to get into it, trusting to the fighting of British soldiers to bring him through. That even his undoubted courage had tailed to inspire his men with confidence, is rendered deplorably evident in the flight of a native regiment at the moment of attack, and the precipitate " retreat" of a Queen's regiment. Lord Gough is a commander who inspires confidence only in the enemy. He has been training the Siekh armies into very efficient enemies. His capacity in those respects must have been perfectly known to those on whom his appointment depended. The history of his careerillustrates the paralysing effect of the routine that maintained him in a post for which his sole qualification was the order of his name in the chronology of the Army List. Every respect may be shown to a bravo and faith ful man, without sacrificing the safety of an empire to the compliment. The same mortal influence swayed the responsible authorities in the choice of a successor to Lord Gough; the lot fell upon a man so little known to fame of arms, that thero was a universal burst of the question, " Who is Sir William Gomm?" And the only information about him was that he had filled a civil post with tolerable credit as Governor of the Mauritius. Po sitive alarm has at last induced the same responsible au thorities to follow the suggestion of public opinion, and to select Sir Charles Napier; but the choice is made in the most untoward manner; instead of advancing heartily and choosing him in free will as th e a bl es t man f or a given work, the Company reluctantly submit to him as a political necessity. After squabbling with him about prize-money —after trying to elude his claim to service —after slighting and disgusting him—they again send forth the impetuous dictator of Sindo with the idea that he is decreed by fate as the dictator of tho Punjaub and the redeemer of British India. It would hardly bo won dered if, after such suggestive experiences, the Napier genius were to flower in some wild extravagance, and the Cesar were to write home to his beloved sister Queen m V ictoria,eror of India.hovhe would vouchsafe a friendly alliance as p OLD FRIENDS.— On Tuesday evening last a supper of the members of tho ancient order of Old Friends took place at the No. 5 Lodge-house, Treasurer Thorp's, the Black Horse, Kingsland-road, to commemorate the open ing of the Lodge at that house, when a select and highly respectable party sat down to an entertainment of a most bountiful description, and served up in Mr. Thorp's pro verbial good style. Secretary Burgess presided as chair man, as did P.S.C. Wills, deputy, and wore supported, among others, by the following distinguished bro thers:—S.C. Sawdy, P.C. Gaylor, P.C.G. Perry, P.C. Marrison, C. Cross, C. Davies, D. Cross, P.S.A. Watson, S.A. Watson, and Brothers Smart, Thompson, Burgess, and Curtis. After ample justice had been done to the excellent fare provided by the liberality of the worthy host, and the cloth withdrawn, the chairman, in a few appropriate words, gave the "Queen and Royal Family," which was received with great applause, atter which the National Anthem was sung with much anima tion. The " Ancient Order of Old Friends, and may it flourish," was then given from the chair, and received with much cheering. The " Gift Funds," and " Friend ' in-Need Fund," of the order followed amid much ap plause. The health of the Treasurer, Chairman, De puty, and of several other persons officially connected with the order, were severally given, and acknowledged in very suitable terms. The company w the the presence of P.S.P. Smart, and P.S.P. Watson, of " Loyals," who highly entertained the thecompany—the other i3y his ono with his humorous singing, and . h formerly of the P.S.C.Tg hhe Grout, celebrated eosluoetnbaa . tneda T The Professorhilarity ft. Eund was honoured well expressed observations. C. u p se a m v e le nt b y his " Boat " Loyals," also created much a m of a t n h 's e D el a, e n n n i e n ' g " and n v t ri h ra e i r — l e a g u d until a late hour, when the company o evidently o much wa p s I s e assoeudr source with f the re en Risley e ) y . t m h:a s tasta'hoveuasePel t v o aar w dsg ee t o p m d c ar e t unavoidably a beforek e nf tl l e t ab P.S.C.c ward, British t. public with Secretary COLOSSAL 1 Alb TI • new an d ex traordinary claims to p a t ronage. We have no doubt that many to our readers would hail with de light a plan by which they might traverse the borders of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers from the Falls of St. Anthony to the Gulf of Mexico without the trou ble or expense of a voyage to America. This can now be accomplished ; for the above gentleman has brought with him from the land of wonders a Panorama four miles long, depictivo of every inch of ground along the line we have mentioned. As a work of art, we under stand, it is of tho highest class; but its magnitude alone would command that success which we feel assured it is destined to attain. THE I:AiE HORRIBLE MURDER.—BR ISTOL, WEDNESDAY.—The adjourned inquest on the b o d y of the late Miss Jefieries was continued this day. The only material evidence was that of a policeman, who de posed to a statement made by the prisoner in confirma tion of her former statement, that it was not she who had committed the act, but another girl, who had lived with Miss Jefferies before her, who had perpetrated the hergav gave guilty t o her (the enterprise. e T d3 h a e crime from revenge at not h av i ng obtained a character, adjourned. c a e n e d d s w o h f o portion o! ,as the ag p st ro n - It is stated i n th e C ape of Good Hope papers of the - • Wiwi 11th of Jan uary t h at the amount of coin in circu in that colony i s ca l culated to be between 400 , 0004 and Town 500,0001., while the paper issues of the throe Capehadeosed with banks represent 32,000/. The yearandant harvest had every symptom of prosperity; an ab bad prevailed. In been secured, and no fatal epidemicsg in the conduct of consequence of some irregularcontrary to stipulation, Panda, the Zoolu chief, p ; wo British when cattle strayed into Lieutenant - Governor o f N atal Lieu men to recover them, the o remonstrate w i t h hi m through agents, an had considered it necessary t d f r om what had s ubsequently trans. seem Aired it _ seemed was prepared in f u t ure to abandon d * this unreeogni se proceeding, wet s f r om Es 64 ' 4 1 9g ...h je for 180 0 4 Area' 1358 t°A - E 0 $0 du ll, itto v i . , ari d Col° te t , Voll°' liAts 35 v the 3 or