The Press.
London, England, 1857-09-19 00:00:00

THE PRESS, SEPTEMBER 19, 1857.

besides two or three hundred coolies, servants, and camp
followers of all sorts. It is to be hoped that ere that we
may be dryly housed in some of the tine old mosques and
minarets of the city of Delhi.
Last night it was settled, I believe, in a grand council
held in camp, that we are to remain here till the rains are
over. A rainy season in the trenches will, I fear, kill half
our force at least. In two mouths, however, we must have
an immense force of Europeans here. An assault on
Delhi and a defeat at this time would be a most terrible
thing; so, perhaps, after all, safety is the best policy.
Young Murray doing well, but unable to get dff hts bed
yet. I must not omit to tell you cur regiment is called in
camp " certain death "—complimentary, I dare say, but
not pleasant. All our own officers are wounded, and many
that have been appointed to the corps have also been
wounded.

Councils of war, it appears, were then being held
in camp to consider the propriAty of retaining our
position.
The following curious statement of a native re-
garding the interior state of Delhi in May and June
is most interesting, if it may be relied on :
I reached Delhi on the 21st May, 1857, and stayed there
till the 23rd June.

On my arrival there I saw five infantry regiments and
the sowers of the 3rd Cavalry, who were stationed at
Mohtabbagh and Salimgurh.
The sepoys were so much afraid of the English forces
that they looked quite pale. The cavalry mutineers had a
little spirit. and were wishing to go to Meerut for a fight;
but the footmen did not agree with them, saying, " We
are hardly sufficient to guard Delhi, how can we go to
Meerut?' I will give you a small description of the op-
pression committed by sepoys in Delhi.
They plundered every rich house and shop in the city.
They took every horse they found in the stables of the
citizens. They killed a number of poor shopkeepers for
asking the proper prices for their things ; they abuse the
respectable men of Delhi in their presence. The guard
at Jumna-bridge looted the passengers crossing it. On
the 11.11 May the magazine was blown up; it did great
damage to the adjacent houses, and killed about five hun-
dred passengers walking in different streets. The bullets
fell in the houses of people to such a degree, that some chil-
dren picked up two pounds and some four pounds of them
from the yards of their houses; afterwards the mutineers,
together with the low people of the city, entered the maga.
sine compound and began to plunder weapons, accoutre-
ments, gun caps, &c.
The sepoys plundered every treasury in the city, and put
the money in their own pockets ; they did not give a
farthing out of this to the King ; so the sepoys of four or
five regiments possessed thousands of rupees each, and
under the weight of silver they could hardly walk, conse-
quently they were obliged to change their silver for gold.
The Mahajuns charge them twenty-four or twenty•five
rupees for a gold mohur, which is not worth more than
sixteen rupees. Since the bankers were plundered by the
Berms, they also cheated them by giving them brass coins
instead of gold ones. . .

The poor-regiments are very jealous of those who are
rich, as the rich sepoys don't wish to go to fight, or to the
field of battle simply; they are very often insulted by
their poor friends. lam of opinion their private feelings
will compel them to fight with each other, some day or
other, as many times during my stay at Delhi I heard there
was very likely to be a quarrel between the rich and poor
regiments.

The princes are made officers to the royal army—thou-
sands of pities for the poor luxurious princes. They are
sometimes compelled to go out of the door of the city, in
the heat of the sun—their hearts palpitate from the firing
of muskets and guns.
Unfortunately they do not know how to command an
army; their forces laugh at their imperfections, and abuse
them for their bed arrangements. The King sends sweet-
meats for the forces in the field, and the guard at the door
of the city plunder it like the property of an enemy.
The bravery of the royal troops deserves every praise ; they
are very clever indeed ; when they wish to leave the field
of battle they tie a piece of rag on their leg, and pretend
to have been wounded, and come into the city lame anti
groaning, accompanied by their friends.
On the night of the 311th June, at the Hindun•bridge,
the mutineers were quite out of senses ; a good many of
them threw their muskets and swords in the wells, and
scattering on the road, ran towards villages and jungles,
as they thought themselves to have been pursued by Eng-
lish soldiers.

Had the English forces taken them they could have
taken Delhi the same night, because the aepoys did not
return to the city till next morning, and many of them
disappeared for ever; they were plundered and beaten by
Goojurs, and did not bring a fsrtbing back with them.

The old King is very seldom obeyed; but the princes
ere never.

The soldiers never mind their regimental bugle; disobey
their officers, and neglect their duty; they are never mus-
tered, and never dressed in uniform. The noblemen and
Ilegums, together with the princes, regret for the loss of
their joyful days. They consider the arrival of mutineers
at Delhi a sudden misfortune for them.

The princes cannot understand the sepoys without an
interpreter. The shells have destroyed lots of houses in
the city ; and in the fort the marble of the King's private
hall is broken to pieces. His Majesty is very much
alarmed when a shell is burst in the castle, and the princes
show his Majesty, the pieces of it. Many of the royal
family have left the palace through fear. The Delhi college
was destroyed the first day. English books are lying in
the streets still. The sepoys beat and imprison people for
speaking English.

As to the Punjaub, it remains tranquil to a certain
extent. On the 30th of July the disarmed 26th
Regiment N. I. mutinied at Meean Meer, and mur-
dered Major Spencer, their commanding officer. The
mutineers immediately fled, but the pursuit after
them is close, and it is not expected that many will
eventually escape.

At Hyderabad all was quiet up to the 14th August.
Great tears were entertained of a rising during the
Mohorrum, which begins on the 22nd of August. A
wing of her Majesty's 12th Lancers has been de-
spatched from Poonah, and is expected to arrive at
Hyderabad on the 19th August.

At Mhow Brigadier Stuart's column had arrived
on the 2nd inst., accompanied by the Resident, Col.
Durand.

Holkar remains faithful to the British Govern-
ment, but his troops are much distrusted.

In the Nagpore and Saugor territories, and the
country of Bhopul, the disaffected population pre in
arms, and although they offer little or no resistance
to parties sent out. against them, still they effectually
put a stop to the machinery of government. For-
tunately, the city of Nagpore, protected by its two
high forts on the hills of Seetabuldee, has been
effectually maintained, and all tendency to rebellion
checked. " I have alread3 told you (writes the
correspondent of the Daily News) of some engage-
ments in the neighbourhood of that place and
Saugor "

Since then the Boondelas have been bold and have
assembled in some of the numerous forts with which the
surrounding mountains abound. In order to coerce these
people, a moveable column was formed at Nagpore, of the
head quarters wing 33rd Madras N. 1., a company of Rifles,
the 1.4 Nagpore Irregular Horse, three guns Nagpore
Artillery, manned by Europeans, and one squadron 4th
Light Cavalry (Madras), all under Colonel Miller, of the
33rd Madras N. 1., who was to be reinforced on his march
by a portion of his own regiment from Seonee, two com•
ponies of the 28th Madras N.I. from Nugsingpoor, ■nd
three more guns manned by Europeans. Colonel Miller
left Nagpore on the 18th of July, in the direction of
Seonee. It was expected that this column would have some
fighting immediately on reaching the Nerbudda, and no
doubt this would be so 'lntl' the rains came on and made
the roads impassable. The want of cavalry here, as else.
where, would be severely felt. The 4th Madras L.C., of
which a squadron was placed at the disposal of Colonel
Miller, was in force at Jubbulpore on the 31st of July, and
reinforcements of Madras artillery and infantry were ex.
peoted.
As it is so much the custom to assert that the re-
bellion is confined to the sepoys, it may be as well to
follow the details given by this able correspondent of
operations performed in the Nagpore and Saugor
territories by the stanch remnants of the 31st and
42nd Bengal Native Infantry and the 3rd Irregular
Cavalry, and detachments from the 50th and 52nd
Madras Native Infantry:—

On the 28th of July a body of 1,000 insurgent
Boondelas attacked Dummow, fifty miles from Saugor.
They occupied the fort there, and were attacked by de-
tachments from the 31st, 42nd, and 3rd, and driven off
with a loss of thirty-one killed and seventeen made
prisoners. After the rout the irregulars followed up the
enemy and cut up several more men. A fort occupied by
500 Boondelas in the vicinity of Nagpore was attacked by
detachments of the 50th and 52nd, and the result was the
unresisting flight of the insurgents. Further west, the
occupation of Edlabad by the Hyderabad Contingent,
under Major W. Orr, has kept the districts of North I3erar
quiet. In order, however, to overawe still further any Ito-
hillaa or Arab plunderers from the Nizam's country, the
Madras Government has sent out troops to form a column
at Kurnaul, on the southern frontier of the Hyderabad
country, and this force, under Colonel Macleod, has been
composed as follows :—Her Majesty's 12th Lancers, one
squadron from Secunderabad; 50th Madras Native In-
fantry, head-quarters wing; half troop of Madras Native
Horse Artillery. This force was set in motion towards
Kurnaul on the 24th of July. Her Majesty's 74th High-
landers has been sent to Bellary.

A letter from Jubbulpore, dated the 18th ult.,
says:--

All right here. We have occupied and lortified the
Residenry as a temporary and precautionary measure, but
we do not anticipate that we shall be called upon to show
that Englishmen can fight. The sepoys of the regiment
(52nd Native Infantry) are very quiet, and, so far as we
can judge, not inclined to mutiny. Some of the neigh.
bouring Thakoors, however, have risen, and three detach-
ments have been sent against them. In a few days a large
force is going out. _ .

It has been reported that we are prisoners, and brought
to great straits. Neither one nor the other is the case. We
feel so strong in our small garrison that we fear neither
sepoys nor lloondelas, and re in tirst•rate spirits.
All the troops in the Saugor division are quiet. At
Saugor the 42nd Native Infantry mutinied, but the 31st
Native Infantry drove them out of the cantonments. It is
now our time for victory, and the rebels are beginning to
find what fools they have made of themselves.

A later letter, dated the 23rd ult., mentions that
all still continued quiet and secure at .Juhbulpore.
With respact to the three capitals, Calcutta, Born.
bay, and Madras, great apprehensions are felt at the

approaching Mohurrum (22nd August). At Cal.
cutta, especially, the most serious fears are felt.
With regard to the rest of India, a brief summary
is all that we are enabled to give. The Pithjaub
remains tranquil. The remnant of the Sealkote mu-
tineers have been destroyed almost to a man by
Brigadier-General Nicholson, who crossed her
Majesty's 52nd Light Infantry in boats to the island
in the Ravee, on which they were posted, captured
their gun, and slaughtered or drove the whole body
of them into the river. A quantity of plunder was
recovered. Numbers of the fugitives continue to be
seized and brought in by the police and people of
the country, and also from the territory of Maha-
rajah Gholab Singh. They are summarily executed.
A fanatical moulvie from Swat had moved down
and set up his standard at Nivumzee. In twenty.
four hours he was attacked, defeated, and fifty-five
of his men killed. At Mooltan, the subadar of the
69th Native Infantry had been blown from a gun.
Sir J. Lawrence was at Lahore on the 20th July.
The accounts from Rajpootana are said to be satis-
factory, all the Rajpoot chiefs having given un•
doubted proofs of loyalty to the British Government,
and having afforded substantial support to the troops.
The arsenal at Ajmere has been placed in a perfect
state of defence by Lieutenant Carnell, of the above
corps, who has under his command a detachment of
100 men of her Majesty's 83rd Regiment. Two
mortars (says the Bombay Telegraph) have been
placed in position to shell the city on the least symp-
tom of a disturbance, and have overawed the large
and fanatical Musulman population, who are discon-
tended and ripe for a revolt and the destruction and
plunder of tho Hindoos. The district around is in a
comparatively quiet state, and no further symptoms
of disturbance have taken place than an occasional
dacoity, but the surrounding population would
instantly rise on any symptom of weakness being
shown. Up to the 17th matters were quiet. In
Affghanistan no movement had yet taken place, but
the attitude of Gholab Singh was peculiar. The
Rajah was busy storing his frontier fortresses, re-
viewing his troops, and exhibiting such "extreme
affability" towards his English residents that not
the slightest reliance was placed upon his good faith.

" The authorities at both Bombay and Calcutta,,
says the Telegraph, "have taken every precautibn to
secure the public safety, and in the event of any
emeute taking place it will be promptly and sternly
put down":—
Several arrests have been made lately in Calcutta, which
have placed Government in full possession of information
on all points concerning the Mahomedan conspiracy. The
Moonshee Golam Hossein, or Golam Khan,—we are not
sure which is his proper name—who was arrested near
Wellesley-square, is a personage after whom the Govern,
ment has for some time been making inquiries. He is
said to be one of the most active of the conspirators, and a
plotter whose arrest was of the greatest importance. He
contrived to escape from Calcutta when the ex-King of
Oude was taken into the fort, and it is said proceeded with
haste to Lucknow, where his presence gave additional
vigour to the insurrection. What brought him back to
Calcutta we can only guess at, but he did not arrive
there without his coining having been notified to Govern-
ment by the military authorities. His arrest, it is said,
was attempted more than once since his return, but with-
out success, until Friday night, the •23rd of July, when a
number of town sergeants and some soldiers, all in shames,
Proceeded to the neighbourhood of Wellesley-square to
the house of a wealthy Mahomedan, where the Moonshee
was reported to be.
- • -

The man was pointed out, arrested, awl with some
confederates imprisoned.
To sum up briefly: while the country can congra-
tulate itself that the noblest deeds of our army have
never surpassed the marches and victories of Gen.
Havelock, it must remember that from no other corner
of India can we abstract cause for congratulation.
The rebellion is slowly but surely attaining de-
velopment, and unless some fortunate change in our
favour speedily takes place, we shall have ultimately
the whole of India in arms against us.

We have received the following private
letter, dated Bombay. It gives some interest-
ing details as to the real state of European
feeling in India :

August 15, 1857.

The mail leaving Southampton on the 4th ult.
arrived here on the morning of the sth inst. Seeing
the mail flag hoisted at eix. a.m. I hurried down to
the pier, anxiously hoping with many others that we
should have news of troops being already on their
way through Egypt; many, indeed, were sanguine
enough to look for them by the mail steamer, think-
ing that a few would be sent from Malta, even though
they came through Egypt as private passengers, and
without arms, in the absence of arrangements for