The Express.
London, England, 1852-06-14 00:00:00

INDIA AND CHINA

THE OVERLAND MAIL.

THE WAR IN BURMAII.

We have received our usual papers and despatches
in anticipation of the Overland mail. The dates arc
Bombay, May 12 ; Calcutta, May 1 ; Madras, May
8 ; Hong Kong, April 23.
Our Bombay correspondent writes as follows :
BOMBAY, MAY 12.

In my last I sent you extracts from the papers re-
ceived on the morning of the mail's departure, giving
a pretty correct account of the capture of Martaban
and Rangoon; the official despatches will probably
have been published in the London Gazette long ere
this reaches you, so of course any detailed account
from my pen at this time of day would be super-
RUINS. The military tactics of General Godwin on
the 12th to the 14th April belqre Rangoon have been
rather severely criticised, and it is generally thought
with a good deal of justice. The Europeans are
said to have been landed in full dress—red coat,
shako, &c. ; and after being exposed to an April sun
till noon, they were directed to encamp in a salt
marshy locality, where they remained inactive for
thirty-two hours. What could be expected to follow
but sickness? and accordingly, by the time Rangoon
was ours on the 14th, cholera and fever had seized on
every tenth man of the Europeans at least, and
dozens of brave fellows were hurried to premature
graves. Majors Griffiths and Oakes, of the Madras
army, died of coup de soled on the first day, and
several more had a narrow escape. Captain Hunt,
80th Foot; an officer of the 35th M.N.1., name not
given ; and the Rev. Mr. Baker, of H.M.S. Fox,
died of cholera. Lieutenants Doorin, 18th Royal
Irish; Ensign Armstrong, 51st H.0.L.1. ; and Lieu-
tenant Donaldson, Bengal Engineers, were killed be-
fore Rangoon ; and Captain Blundell, 51st Foot, died
on the 18th, of a wound received in the stomach on
the 12th. The number of casualties, therefore,
amounts to nine officers, fifteen rank and file killed
or died, and twelve officers and 120 rank and file
wounded. How many soldiers have died of disease
has not been stated, but a great many have been cut
off. Nearly all the casualties occurred amongst the
Europeans, as the price laid on their heads (Si.) by
the Burmese authorities was nearly double that
offered for those of the Sepoys; and many a poor
wounded European was decapitated by the savages
for the eske of the reward thus offered The steamers
had been basilyy engaged all along the river destroy-
ing the stoakadesand :fortified places, and by latestae-
counts (23rd ult.) not one was left-all had been burnt
to the ground. The king's steamer had been seized
up the river by the Tenasserim, but her back break-
ing while in tow, her engines. &c., were taken out,
and she was burnt. The Phlegethon had been sent
as a guard vessel to Martaban ; the Berenice
and Zenobia to Vizagapatam to convey over
to the seat of war the sth M. N. I.;
the Salamander to Penang and China; and
the Rattler (with the admiral on board) and Fire
Queen had gone to Calcutta, whence the former was
to return on the 3rd, Admiral Austen having gone
merely to consult with the Governor-General as to
future proceedings. Some say that no further opera-
tions are to be entered on till after the rains, while
others again aver that an immediate advance on
Protne is to take place. If our force remains inactive
at Rangoon, the mortality amongst them will most
likely be dreadful; if kept in motion, the climate
will not affect them one-tenth part so much as if
they remain where they are. Tho idea of the force
returning to Calcutta and Madras for the rains, is in
my opinion absurd. Her Majesty's 51st occupy the
south-east angle of the fort, the 18th It. I. the south,
the 80th the west, the 40th B. N. J. the oast, the
Madras artillery the north. The two Madras corps,
9th and 35th, were in the stockades outside the fort.
Many hundreds of the inhabitants had returned, but
the prices charged for provisions of all kinds were
exorbitant. The ex.governor was believed to be in
the jungles with only 100 or 200 men, all his brave
fellows having deserted him. On the 20th a mes-
senger from him had waited on General Godwin
with a letter, which stated that though we had won
one battle, there were yet two other dreadtul con-
flicts to ensue before we could ever hope to reach
Ave,. but that he was willing now to treat with us
to prevent our getting a good thrashing hereafter.
The messenger was told to go back to his master and
tell him that for having fired on our flag of truce on
the 10th, he would be hung on the highest tree in
Rangoon should hands be laid on him ; if the autho-
cities wished to treat, none but a special messenger
from the king himself would be listened to. Mean-1
while it is said that the king is dead, and hsa
been succeeded on the throne by the prime
minister. A large quantity of treasure, 20,0001., is
said to have been found in the Great Pagoda,
with .arge stores of powder, iron, sulphur, &c. The
brig Serpent, and steamers Pluto and Phlegethon,