The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-01-05 00:00:00

INDIA AND CHINA.

" CALCUTTA, Nov. 23.
"The clouds are breaking rapidly. The garrison cf
Luoknow has been relieved, and although the danger is
not actually over, the destruction of the city and the
dispersion of the rebels appear, humanely speaking,
inevitable. Sir Colin Campbell arrived at Cavrnpore on
the 3rd of November. It was believed that he would
advance immediately, and, indeed, statements apparently
authentic were received of his arrival at the Alumbagb.
It appears, however, that he waited for some heavy
guns which were long upon the road. As Sir James
Ontram had informed him that he could hold out for
: some days longer, the delay was simple wisdom. At
' length, on the 11th of November, he started with two
squadrons of cavalry as an escort, and • Amp ride of
401hniles brought him the same evening to his camp.
There he found the following force collected :—He was
joined at the Alumbagh by 900 effective men, and had
with him, besides, two troops of European Horse
Artillery under Captains Remington and Blunt, with
live guns each; a European Horse battery under Cap-
tain Bouchier ; 60 European Royal Artillery, with two
18-pounders and two 8-inch mortars; 320 of the 9th
Lancers; a squadron of Sikhs and Pathans from the
Ist, 2nd, and sth Punjab Cavalry and from Hudson's
Horse—altogether 430 men; 600 of Her Majesty's Bth
and 96th Regiments; 1,000 of the 2nd and 4th Punjab
and Sikh Infantry; two Company's Sikh Sappers and
emne of the old Sappers and Miners • nearly the whole
of Her Majesty's 93rd Highlanders • 200 of Her Majesty's
sth Fusileers ; 350 men of Her Highlanders;
53rd ,• 300 of
the Naval Brigade with guns, and two squadrons of
cavalry, with two guns, that escorted the Commander-
in-Chief from Cawnpore to the British encampment.
" Some of the camp followers bad died of hunger, but
the Eurogeans were in tolerable condition, and the en-
tire force, though short-handed as to artillerymen, was
in admirable order. At the Alumbagh he was joined
by • European disguised as a native, with despatches
from Sir James Outram. The information they con-
tained changed the Commander-in-Chiefs plans. He
lied intended to cross the Gomntee, shell out
the enemy from the further side of the stream,
and bring off the women and children under cover of his
guns. He found, however, that the garrison was in
good heart, able to hold on, and most anxious thatno
thought of them should impair the completeness of the
victory. He disoovered also that to cross the Goomtee
would be to spare the meet dangerous portion of the
town, the quarter furthest from the residency being the
one occupied by the main body of the mutineers. Ac-
cordingly, all preparations being completed, on the 13th
of November he attacked and blew up Jellidabsd, •
small fort near the Alumbagh. On the 15th, following
up his stroke, be stormed the Martiniere—the great
fortified house built by Clasde Martine—and the Dil-
koosha, the King's Palace. Them*, after repulsing one
desperate aorte, he advanced upon the city proper,
smashing his way, its Ire h 4 threatened with his big
guns. On the 16th he the canal 'Ton the` Scan-
der-baghs 'which was carriedi ter a most severe strug-
gle, the enemy suffering enornrslY2
"These positions having bee occupied, the Sahmuok
was attacked with very heavy trtillery for three hours;
it was carried at dusk, after cue of the severest fights
ever witnessed. Early on the 17th communications
were opened to the left rear of the barracks towards the
both
canal. A cannonade having h kept up all the morn-
ing in the Mesa-house, that ry strong position was
orrriecl by assault at 3 p.m. Th troops pushed rapidly
on after carrying the Mess-boase; and were able to seise
the Mothee Mahal before dark. Sir James Outram and
t to Sir Henry Havelock then came t meet the Com-
mander-in-Chief. The Comman in-Chief's wound is
very alight, and does not interfe with his duty. In
other words, the Commander-in id had fought his
way right through the great =butt east of the Cairn-
% nor. road. No details of his I have yet transpired,
but it must have been very co erable. The enemy
fought splendidly, as they. always under cover, or on
ground were shiftiness is more nable than steady
valour. The lid of officers killei and wounded is a

heavy one in proportion to the force. Sir Colin appears
to have taken himself and his staff into the thick gut,
forgetting that his death at this moment would be as
dihedron., as a defeat. It must have been • strange
meeting that between him and General Havelock, both
having accomplished the mute task in the same way,
though it may be hoped with a different result. It is
understood that Sir Conn Campbell's first object is to
send off the sick and wounded women and children to
Cawnpore. It is supposed that this task is easy, as his
communications have evidently been kept open. He
will then open fire on the remainder of the city, reduce
It as far an possible to • ruin untenable even by &pop,
and then establish himself firmly either in the Re-
sidency or one of the Poilacei. As reinforcements arrive
they are to be formed into flying columns, which, renal-
ing from Luoknow, will cleanse Gude, Goruckpore, and
the North-Fast countries. To strengthen these oolumns
every soldier who arrives at Beneres is ordered on to
Cawnpore, with strict injunctions not to fight if he can
help it by the road. Thin order leaves &mares, Allele,
I bad, and Behar, alinon defeneelea, but the new fort at
I the former place is rising rapidly, and will contain 10;000
I men. Allaliabad is similarly protected already, and
Behar, though denuded of Europeans, is garrisoned by
two regiment' of Sikh police.
"During Sir Colin Campbell's stay at Cawnpore an in-
cident occurred which will show better than any words
how oritkal was the position. The Gwalior mutineer',
with some 5,000 men-1,500 of them cavalry-25 siege
1 guns, and a largo siege train, were at Crape°, 48 miles
from Cawnpore. It was rumoured that they intended
to advance. U they bad done so the Commander-in-
Chief must have stopped to chastise them or leave his
rear exposed to the enemy, and his supplies, including
his ammunition, to capture or destruction. In the
meantime Luoknow might have fallen, and with it the
prestige secured by the fall of Delhi. The °minor
men, however, dared not advance, a fact which speaks
volumes an to the military capaelty of their leaden.
Acioording to one account they remain immovable. so-
cording to another they are preparing' for the MIA,*
on Cawnpore. The former tumour is the less probable.
1111 the mutineers living altogether on plunder must move
as their supplies fall.
"Speculation is rife as to the future policy of the
rebel,. They are somewhat premature, as it is not abaci-
lutaly impossible that Sir Cohn Campbell may be shot
up an Sir Henry Havelock was, but the two plans anti-
buted to them deserve • notice, According to one opi-
nion they will, on the fall of Luoknow, disperse, seek
'hater In the 400 forts with which Gude is studded, and
there maintain a desultory war. According to another,
they will disperse, outmarch us, as they have always
done, and get into the heart of Central India. The
&pots generally disbelieve that Delhi has fallen.
" The means of carriage—the great want of Govern-
ment—do not improve. The six little steamers, with
locomotives for engines, are ready, but they can tow
nothing. If they can get themselves to Allehabad the
fest will not he a alight one. The two dosen little river
steamer' mentioned s month ego would be simply in-
valuable. It takes jut a month to get 3,000 man to
Allahebad. The troops, ooneequently, drop into the
North• West by driblets, and we are not yet strong
enough to strike those terrible blows which, by appeal
-
Mg to the imagination, crush ten rebels for every one
slain. It is now acknowledged on all hands that we
are fighting not only the &pop, but the oleos from
whom the &Toys are drawn. The cultivators and
artisans are with us but the armed dames, the feudal
retainers, bad characters, technically called budinashee,
the durwans, club men and polies are against us to a
man. They are 3,000,000 strong, and supply all defi-
ciencies in the insurgent ranks. They have nothing
to lose, are fighters from boyhood, and detest the
English, who prohibit plunder.
" On the termination of the Santhid campaign the
Lieutenant-Governor, finding that the complete bar-
barism of the Santkals had become dangerous, propose
to civilise them. He handed them over to the Church
Missionary Society for education, selecting that body
because two of ita agents had won the confidence of the
Santhals. The tribe liked the arringenient, and began
to fill the schools. The surrounding chases did not
care, regarding Santhals in about the light in which we
regard centipedes or other dangerous vermin. There
was no doubt of success' when out comas an order from
the Court disallowing the whole arrangement, as the
development of Christianity 'wan contrary to their
policy.' Well. the Santhals have • Commissioner, a
man known as no saint, a desperate hunter, always
either in the saddle or inquiring into the complaints of
his subjects. He was ordered to produce anew scheme.
He quietly replied that he couldn't and wouldn't, and
that he hoped soon to see the 'end of a policy which
made us cowards in the eyes of men, and traitors in the
oyes of God.' Similar ideas are coming up from every
corner of India.

" Sir John Lawrence, the one successful pro-consul in
India, has in his own province decreed that caste shall
cease. . _ _

"The women and children began moving from Luck-
now on the 20th November.

" The Motee Mahal must have fallen under the Resi-
dency guns. Sir C. Campbell has demanded orders to
hold or leave Lucknow. He wants reinforcements
bitterly, the Sepoys swarming in the city and fighting as
desperate Asiatics always fight. Fifteen hundred dead
bodies, all Sepoys, were counted in the Seounderbagli
alone. Where are the reinforcements to come from?
Ten thousand men have arrived in Calcutta in the past
fortnight, but there are no means of carriage.
"The Gwalior men, with their heavy artillery, are
threatening Cawnpore. Our dawks have been seized
within five miles of the station. Our troops, 2,000
strong, with 12 pieces of cannon, are posted on the road
four miles outside Cawnpore. The loss on our side in
Lucknow has not been published here."

HONGKONG, Nov. 15.
It is understood that with the approval of Lord Elgin
operations against Canton will be resumed towards the
end of the month. The flagship proceeds up the river at
once. There may be some delay in moving the forces up
to Canton, as a portion of the marines expected from
Calcutta and England have yet to arrive. The naval
force will be assisted as much an possible by troops from
this place, and it is arranged, we believe, that the
French are to co-operate with us in the attack.
Probably the total available force for the attack will
be about 5,000 men of all arms.
That it is purposed to resume hostilities against Canton
at an early date is pretty generally known among the
Chinese. It is difficult to get information as to the
preparations that have been made at Canton to resist an
attack; but Chinese say nothing has been done, and
that a large number of the soldiers have been taken
away to keep the rebels in check in the interior.
This appears to be probable, for the Pekin Gazettes
come down to the Ist of October and mention that Yeh
has requested permission to defer the usual inspection of
the troops till they are less actively employed. Fight-
ing going on everywhere" in the Kwang-tung province,
"although the English barbarians are quieter than
before," he states, it would be wrong at present to recall
the troops from defending Canton.
The two sister ships,the Imperador and the Imperatrix.
are now both arrived, and have discharged their cargo of
marines in good health at Wantung, opposite the ruins of
the Bogue forte. Captain Sherrard Osborne, in the Furious,
goes to Manilla to bring up the last two of his squadron
of gnnboata. Captain Osborne has acquired great credit
by the sweets with which he has brought all his chick
eockatrices home—not to roost. To the Drake belongs
the honour of the race; but they have all done well.
Many were the adventures of these wee things, all flight
and sting, in their passage through the wards of waters.
The big ships of commerce, when they sighted one of
these specks in mid ocean, took various ideas of the
unusual sight.
The Adelaide at this datehas not been heard of, but as
her consorts have arrived she may be daily expected.
We are also entitled to expect a return of some 400 or
500 of the marines and troops lent to India. In a few
days, therefore we may reasonably expect to have 700
guns, and 7,000 men in thole waters. Of the latter we
shall probably be able to land 4,000 • but the great bulk
of them will be blue jacicets—capital fellows afloat, but
' terrible stragglers ashore. I believe I may now say
that the Baron Gros has determined to so-operate in our
enterprise. He has three frigates, two corvettes, and
four gunboats here, and about 1,000 men, whereof he
can land about 600 seamen. We have plenty of force to
, do the work single-handed, and some delay may possibly
I be occasioned by waiting until he can get his frigate,
the Caprioieuse, now in dock at Shanghai, down south-
wards. So far, therefore, as actual susiistrume goes, per-
haps we might as well have been alone; but in other
points of viewhistheis co-asS operation
bill:alt. be
am not
try saotiaf:ig-
Isaias. What
it is no part of my businyess to speculate upon it;
I take for granted that it is sufficient It is clear, how-
ever, that it cannot be stronger than ours. The action
of the French, therefore, will justify in the eyes of
Europe the course which we are now taking, and, as
the two squadrons will doubtless act cordially together,
this will be another public proof of the friendship and
common policy of the two nations. It is equally well
, understood that the Americans are to retain their
position of lookers-on. Judging from the great draught
! of water of the Minnesata even this looking on must be
I a very distant view. •
The torpidity of the last five months, therefore, has
changed to the bustle of preparation. The seamen are
being driiled to act ashore, the 59th are being marched
and counter-marched, targets are set up in the secluded
valleys of Hong Kong, and the sharp ring of the rifle
may be beard at early morn and at dewy eve. Every
one who can smuggle himself on board a gunboat has
been up the river to get a peep at the doomed city.
Many who did not need this smuggling process have
yielded to the same curiosity. General Ashburnham is
said to be under orders for departure for India, and is
about to exchange "Head Quarters House for the
Ava, Lord Elgin taking the house and the General
taking the steamer.

The following telegram, which wu received at the
Eut India-house on Monday morning week, gives the
Calcutta version of the relief of Lucknow. It will be
found to correspond with that from Bombay, published
on the 29th ult., but contains a few additional particu-
lars :
" The

crowed the river and en-

_
tered Chide on the 9th alt. He was reported from
Cawnpore on the 12th to have reached the Alumbagh,
and to have opened communication with Sir James
Outrun. Between the 9th and 12th, 1,300 troops of all
arms crossed the river at Cawnpore to join the Com-
mander-in-Chief. On the 12th three companies of the
82nd marched from the Alumbagh, and on the follow-
ing day three companies of the 13th, the Military Train,
and Crawford's Artillery were to move in the same
direction; further, it was intended to send on Carthew's
brigade of Madras Sepoys, expected at Cawnpore, unless
the Gwalior mutineers should cross the Jamas. The
latter on the 12th ult. numbered 3,000, or by native ac-
count. 5,000 effective men, with 8 heavy and 30 field
. . .

By the last telegram, dated the 23rd, some portion of
this force had crossed the Jumna and entered the Dosb.
On the 13th the Commender-in. Chief commenced opera-
tions by blowing up the fort of Jhullawan, near the
Alumbagh, on the 15th ult, he occupied Dilkhooeh Park
and Martiniere, after a running fight of two hours; in
the evening the enemy again came forward, but were
heavily repulsed, and the operation ended in our taking
the poet across the canal. Our low is small. Lieu-
tenant Mayne, Horse Artillery, and Lieutenant Wheat-
croft, Carbineent,

On the lath the Commander-in-Chief advanced acmes
the canal in force • on 4he 17th he attataked Bagh, which
Wee occupied efts; • severe struggle. The enemy stut-
tered enormously, 1,1500 dead bodies of Sepoya having
been counted in one place only. The Nhah hi unsill was
then cannonaded for three hours, and was (serried at
dusk, after one of the severest fights ever witnessed.

On the 16th the Meas-house was carried by assault,
after • heavy cannonade, and the troops then pushed on
rapidly and seized the Mote. Mahal before dark.
Outram and Havelock came out then and joined the
estuinander-in-Chief. . . . .

—The Conimanaer-in•Chief was very slightly wounded ;
aid of his staff, Major Alison, severely; Captains Alison
sad the Hon. A. Anson, slightly.
The following °theme were killed :—Midshipman
Damien, Naval Brigade ; Captain Headley, Royal Artil•
Icy; Captain Helsel', 93rd. ; Captain Lunii•dem, 30th
Native Infantry, doing duty with the 93rd; and Lieu-
tenant Frankland, 2nil. Punjab Infantry.
Twenty-eeven other officers were wounded. The list
sees by this mail. The Commander-in• Chief reports
that the garrison has been removed, and that he is
engaged in conveying women and wounded to the rear.
The city of Lucknow will be held in cheek by • strong
'lovable column, with field and heavy artillery, occupy.
leg a good military position outride the town. The fort
of Antrowalies evacuata by the enemy, and rased to
the ground by Colonel tioutliden, who intended returning
Instantly to the Jaunpore frontier, as it was still three-
tenet' by a large force from Dude
Leintonant Osborne, political agent in Rewah, has
been authorised to detach • form to suppress the ineur-
motion to Bijerargoogurli, and to take the administra•
Lou In his own hands. He reports that certain chiefs of
Nastier have broken out in rebellion at Rewah
The agent BOOM to be all right now. A body of muti-
neers reported on the 10th to have advanced from Ohora-
wal or Newport, district, and to have armed the 13.1.
gun Into Rowah territory. The fort of Dhur occupied
by out troops on the 15th, but the rebel garrhion
maned.
It Is apprehended that the mutiny of the Cotah troops,
and the disaffection among the feudatories of Meyer
and bfarnear may cause serious disorder in Rajpootana.
Ths form there Is very weak, and European troops
are urgently called for. From other native Ifitatee there
Is no new intelligence of an unfavourable nature. The
following vestal' have arrived since the despatch of the
last mallet—Nov. 8, the Barham ; Nov. 13, the Vic-
toria and John Bell ; Nov. 16, the Octavio, Agametn-
non, and Urwiek Cast!.; Nor. 17, the Cressy and the
ChaniMon of the Seas' Nov. HI, the Janice 84101111
Nov.
Nov. 2), the Hammond; Nov. 22, the Chartist, and
the Sir Robert Seal', Nov. 23, the Allenborough ;
Nov. 24, the Monarch, the Calabar, and the Allguls.
G. F. EDHONETONE,
Secretary to the Government of India.
THE FALL 01PaLTICKNOW.
(Prom the Orileutla INglishnutti.)

From private sources we learn that the lots in this
very serious engagement has been small, and that of the
enemy very great, being estimated at 7,000 men. The
Cominander•in•Chief did not follow the *sample of
Generals Outran' and Havelock, who endeavoured to
force their way through the narrow streets of this large
city, where every house is said to be loopholed and filled
with armed men. This they only accomplished with a
loss which totally crippled their email force, and reduced
them to the condition of the garrison, having been ever
since besieged in the Residency. Sir Colin Campbell,
in his recent progress avoided the town, and, by
making a circuit through the suburb' has spared hie
troops and hoomnplislied his object, though it is believed
that the force of rebels and mutineer§ assembled at
Lu3know is so great that he will not be able to subdue
or diapers* them without oonsidenble reinforoemente.
These are now fast pouring in, and every day is adding
to the strength of the British troops in all the internie-
diets rations. It ought not to be omitted that Generals
Outram and Havelock had no time for deliberation ;
had they waited another day or two the garrison in
Luoknow would have been destroyed. Although the
Commander-in-Chiefs success la highly important, and
will greatly discourage the insurgents, it mat not be
hastily concluded that the work is done. The whole of
Oude is in arms, and the adjoining district of Rohilound
is also disaffected and disturbed, so that even if no large
body should contend for Lucknow, or concentrate them-
selves elsewhere, it will require • considerable time to
put down all resistance, to punish marauders and plun-
derers, and to restore obedience.