The Press.
London, England, 1857-09-05 00:00:00

We have received in all, I suppose (writes a corre•
spondent from Calcutta), about 5,000 men, denuding
Burnell, Madras, and C,•slon of ell Europeans, and leaving
those places et some risk. A wing of a regiment has
come up from the Main itius, and the Government is
making preparations far the reception of 24,000 men in
the course of the next three months ; so that, if we can
only "hold our own" for the present, there is no niti•
mate fear ; but this army will not be one too many, for
the next few years we shall require to hold India by a
European military occupation.
A letter from the hills, July 2nd, thus sums up
the position of the country :

If the real state of this country reaches England through
the newspapers, you will know much more than I can tell
you. The latest intelligence which has reached this from
the plains hardly leaves a province in the whole Bengal
Presidency where mutiny of the soldiers and insurrection
of the populace have not broken out, and, as yet, not a
blow has been struck by Government in selfdefence. Sir
H. Barnard has been here for some weeks before Delhi,
the headquarters of the mutineers, with all the European
forces he can collect in the northwest provinces ; and this
force, I fancy, does not amount to 5,000, while I suppose
there ere not less than 25,000 determined, welbarmed
mutineers within the walls of Delhi. These mutineers
come out and attack our forces daily, and in the most
determined, bold manner. Nor are their movements made
without management; they are not only bold, but made
with method ; so much so, one would suppose some milir
tary European bead was directing. Whether we shall be
able to dislodge them from Delhi is doubtful—l question
it—without going through a regular siege—and how this
is to he carried on at this season it is hard to say, for the
rains have set in with terrible violence. To the west of
Delhi, Hansi, Hisser, Neemnch, Mhow, Nuaseerabad, and
even Gwalior, all is in open mutiny and rebellion. The
scenes which have taken place in Rohilcund beggar all
description. I fear few Europeans formerly located in
that province will be found to have escaped alive. Up
here, I hope, we shall be able to hold our own. If not, I
believe our only means of safety will be in a retreat into
the interior of the hills. Ido not think the natives of the
plains would follow us there, and I believe the Puharries
(i.e., hill-men) are very well disposed towards us ; we
might there be in safety for some time at least. It is
really dreadful to think that all this mischief has been
caused by sheer dishonesty, mismanagement, and igno•
ranee—the first of these three causes iu particular. How
it will all end, God alone knows.

Amidst the mass of perjury and faithlessness by
the natives, some instances are given of good faith.
The son of an old Indian officer, writing from Mhow
on the 21st of July, details the events of the mutiny
of the Gwalior Contingent, of his own escape, in
company with two or three more, to Bhopawur, two
hundred miles distant from the nearest British fort,
and does justice to the efforts made by Holkar, who
despatched bodies of faithful cavalry to bring the
fugitives to Indore in safety. Fortunately, they were
found on the road, and escorted safely to Mhow.
Another instance relates to Rajah Soorut Sing, a
Sikh chieftain, who was living at Benares under a
slight surveillance at the time of the mutiny, used his
exertions successfully to keep a company of his coun-
trymen steady who were on guard at the Mint,
where all the ladies and children were collected, and
has since proved himself so brave and true that the
Europeans subscribed 1001., in order to present him
with a handsome set of firearms. Again, at Agra,
one of the officers in command gives a touching
instance of the fidelity of the sepoys of his corps.
Though they had joined the mutineers they refused
to murder their officer, protected him and his
wife from all violence, and escorted them for seven
miles, carrying the lady on their crossed muskets,
until the two were placed out of danger.