The Press.
London, England, 1857-10-10 00:00:00

BOMBAY AND MADRAS.

An officer, writing from Bellary, August 22nd,
takes rather a confident view of affairs in the neigh-
bourhood :

Since I last wrote we have not been as quiet as usual,
what with the Kolapore mutiny and Dharwar intended
ditto, and this state of affairs is increased by no end of
placards stuck up announcing that every European is to be
massacred on a certain day of the Mohurrum, and such
like reports, got up evidently, in my opinion (the writing
very illiterate), by some native who is amused at seeing
the old buffers rushing about; or else, which is still more
probable, it is the work of some speculating beef con•
tractor, who wishes to see the Europeans hack again at
this station. As to the country about this, it is alwa}•s in
much the same state as in times cf the greatest quiet;
hardly a mouth passes without a squadron of cavalry and
a detachment of infantry being sent out against some
refractory Tehseeldar, or some larking Rohillas. The
Mohurram seems a terrible bugbear to everybody, why or
wherefore no one can say, but our men, knowing it would
be objectionable for large crowds to assemble, have volun•
tarily proposed not keeping the Mohurrum. This is a
great thing for a Mussulman regiment to propose. I have
the greatest faith in our men, and I am sure they will
stick to us, whatever may happen. As to the unfortunate
thirty thousand bazaar people here, they are in the greatest
fright possible, it being the general opinion that oti the
slightest disturbance the Rohillas will come in and loot
them, whiist we on the other side will pound them with
grape and eanister. Even if every one turned against us
we might make a gallant tight of it, and at all events die
game—but there is no chance of anything of the kind.

"Every one," he observes, "is disappointei at the
news from borne" :

We were in hopes troops would have been sent overland
through Egypt. Small batches are what we require.
They can be sent up easily by the river steamers or in dak
bullock carts—whilst a large force arriving at Calcutta
could not move for want of carriage. Take this place for
instance: to march a regiment up here from Madras would
take two months, whilst we can now ilik them up in carts
forty and fifty at a time in six or seven days. There is no
use mincing matters; we are in a fix, and virtually the
whole of Bengal will have to be reconquered. I cannot
see why all small stations are not immediately given up,
and the forces collected in large columns. The retreat of
Havelock from Lucknow and the slaughter of those ;200
Europeans at Arrah will add thousands to the mutineers.
But can you conceive our Government not having yet
attempted to increase the Madras army, nor allowed the
different regiments to recruit. Our cavalry regiments
with our 3011 troopers are not much more than a proper
squadron (leaving of course the old men, and those who
must remain behind as guards, out), and though we should
make a splendid nucleus force corps seven hundred strong,
still a cavalry soldier is not made in a day. What ought
to be done now is, for every regim:nt in Madras to send
to Calcutta a wing of their young and picked men, leaving
the remainder to garrison the different stations, and look
after the families of those away, with orders to recruit to
their proper complement. In this way a body of fifteen
thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry might in-
stantly he made use of not a hit inferior to the Europeans,
being both young and picked mer, , able to stsnd any
amount of labour and heat, and as to their loyalty, their
families remaining in our hands would be a sure
guarantee !

The following is the copy of a letter dated Almorah,
August 4 :

YOU will be astonished to find I have left Nynee Tel.
The fact is all ladies, to the number of ninety, and as
many children, have Leen ordered away from the Lake, as
an attack is expected there—not a very formidable one,
however, but belies are always best out of the way at ouch
times, and Captain Ramsay knows well that if a panic did
occur every coolie would rush away to his home in the
mountains, and then there would be no getting away for
any of us. Khan Bahadour Khan, the Buedly wretch, has

of together such an army as he could raise ; it must be e
mere rabble, utterly untrained; still they have the eifion
tery to propose an attack on our fortress, and 3,01.0 men
were reported to have crossed the Kitcha, and reached
Huldwanee on Sunday, the 2nd. There are now WO
brave little Ghoorkas at the Lake, besides gentlemen to
the number of 100. The roads both by Kaleedoongee and
Huldwanee are barricaded at intervals for several miles by
means of high stone walls, which only admit of one man
passing up at a time, and we have guns in excellent posi•
tions to guard each pass. 1 believe the present scheme is
to allow the besiegers to come up beyond Julee, and then,
when they find themselves with a good steep hill ahead
the Ghoorkas are to get round behind, cut off the road, and
so render retreat impossible.
The hlahotnedans in llampore have found out that their
Nawab is friendly to us, and has helped u 4 in sending up
supplies, Jai., though he has not of course been able to
take any active part. A powerful party against him exists in
his own city, and there is a great chance that the poor man
will have fallen a victim on the day of the festival 13uckre
Eed. If the Nawab's life be taken, his force of 5,000 will
assuredly attempt the Kaleedoongee pass ; but even fur
this emergency, though greater than the other, every one
says we are prepared, and then there is scarcely a probe.
bility of any one getting up to Nynee Tal.

Mrs. Edwardes has received a letter from her husband
(Mr. Edwardes, C.S.), which was brought up concealed in
a hookah by a native. It is a scrap in pencil, scarcely le.
Bible, but says he is safely concealed by a Hindoo Itsjah
in Oude, fourteen miles from Futteyghur. The wan has a
fort and a few guns of his own, consequent') powerful.
Mr. and Mrs. Prohyn and four children from Futteyghur
are also with this Rajah. They are kindly treated and in
safety, for though the Nawab of Futteyghur has several
times demanded the English whom he conceals, their pro.
tector refuses to give them up, and challenges his enemy
to get them if he can.