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

Half Calcutta may be destroyed, but the nation at largo
will learn that his lordship knew it was to happen, and
with ample means at his disposal refused to make an
effort even to avert the calamity. The individual who turns
informer gives one material guarantee for his fidelity, in
recommending a measure which fortunately was carried
into effect many days ago, viz., disarming the bodyguard.
They had been suspected of treachery and watched ; he
wrote from a great distance, and could not have known
what was doing here.

August 20.—I'Verious reports of squabbles between Lord
Canning and Colin Campbell ; the last not being promised
his own way ordered his passage back in the Bengal.
August 21.—Departure of the mail steamer put off
twenty four hours. Large reinforcements of Punjaubee
troops have come to Delhi; the garrison are very dispirited ;
ask what terms they are to have. General Wilson very
properly says not a man shall leave it alive. Volunteer
infantry reviewed.
August 22 —The Council meets to day, but we shall
not know the result in time. The Mohurrum commences ;
and the commissioner of police shows how safe he thinks
the town now is by frantic efforts to enlist European police
and get European troops all over the town. My company
is on duty, with some of her Majesty's 29th, twenty-four
hours at a time. The mails all over the country open.
I wish all the foregoing were more interesting ; but think
by next mail you will have an account of a tight in or near
Calcutta; perhaps not if Cohn Campbell stays, otherwise
there will be plenty of it.

Another correspondent sends the following ex.
traordinary account of a sale of uniforms by sepoys
in Calcutta :

A short time ago a gentleman in Calcutta saw from his
window a mob of sepoys, about a hundred in number,
assembled near one of the gates of Government-house,
and visibly engaged in selling their uniforms by auction,
one of them mounted on a hackery (native cart) acting
as auctioneer. The gentleman drove to the Commissioner
of the l'olice to inform him of what was going on ; he at
once proceeded to Major Bouverie, the Governor• General's
aide decamp, and he reported to Lord Canning. Ilia
lordship remarked, " Oh, another idle tale!" when
Bouverie said, " My lord, if you will look out there you
can satisfy yourself." Lord Canning looked, satisfied
himself, and instantly gave orders to call a meeting of his
council. The sages met, deliberated for several hours—
some voted for shooting the sepoys, others for letting them
go—and broke up without coming to any resolution, by
which time indeed it was unnecessary, as the sepoys,
having finished their sale of Government property and
pocketed its proceeds, had quietly walked off. Thus
Government, by not seizing and punishing these men,
virtually declared that embezzlement and desertion are nu
crimes, and the sepoys, emboldened by having insulted
the Goveroor•General at his own door with impunity, aro
permitted to leave Calcutta, and will certainly not forget
this most criminal leniency when levying contributions
from the defenceless villagers, as many of them have been
doing. The native merchants in Calcutta were astonished.
They asked, " Is the Lord Sahib (the Governor• General),
with so many Europeans, afraid of seizing a hundred
sepoys ? If he is afraid to do this in Calcutta, then the
Company's rule in the Mofussil is indeed over."

AU officer waiting from Calcutta, August :22nd,
says.—

We are now in the midst of the great Mahomedan festival
of the " Mohurrum," which commenced today, and
will last until the 31st inst. This festival is in commemo
ration of the deaths of those sons of the Prophet, Hussan
and Hoossein ; and the pious Muasulmans, during its con
tinuance, are wrought up to a pitch of fanaticism bordering
upon madness. They go in procession, beating their
breasts and shouting the holy names—" Hassan
Hoossein !" If killed daring this time they proceed at
once to all the bliss of a Mussulman paradise; and to kill
an infidel then is considered an acceptable offering to the
Prophet and Allah. In all former years there has been
much rioting and bloodshed during these holidays, owing
to the battles of the two rival sects of Soonees and Sheeas ;
and it appeared not unreasonable to suppose that at a crisis
like the present the ill-disposed might seize these proces-
sions and rows as a convenient pretext for playing the
Meerut game in Calcutta. From the native Itengalee
population no one feared anything; their cowardice is too
notorious. But it is known that Calcutta swarms with up-
countrymen, discharged sepoys, and others, trained to the
use of arms ; while the sale of arms in Calcutta since May
last is known to every one but Government officials to have
been enormous, and concealed depots are more than sus-
pected. Now, had the Mohurrum occurred a month ago,
when our force of European soldiers was barely sufficient
to garrison the fort, the safety of the capital of Bengal
would probably have been endangered; but now we have
plenty of troops here, and these, placed in different quarters
of the town, with title) militia and several pieces of cannon,
are sufficient to overawe the inhabitants. It is very hard
work, however, for us unfortunate volunteers, as we are on
duty in pickets of fifty for twenty-four hours together I
Gossiping stories of all kinds are rife. It is reported
that Government stopped all newspapers sent by last mail
( which I doubt), and that they are about prosecuting all
those who signed the petition sent home by last mail—a
story more doubtful still, as history tells us too plainly how
dangerous it is to interfere with an Englishman's first
birthright—to petition Parliament. However, nothing is
too stupid and insane for a Government which burked a
friendly press. It is generally known that Sir Colin
Campbell, our new commander-in-chief, and the Govern-
ment are at loggerhead 3. It is the old story of the
Governor-General insisting upon interfering with, and
thwarting, the commander•in chief, which so enraged Sir
Colin's preceptor and predecessor, Sir Chalks Napier.
The general, it is understood, wants martial law proclaimed
throughout the land, and the militiaformally called out (what