The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-27 00:00:00

THE OVERLAND MAIL.

INDIA.

By the arrival of the overland mail we have
advicea from Calcutta to the 22nd Dec., four days
later than by the last Bombay mail.
We read in the Friend of India of Dec. 22:

flubseripilons °option° to pom is to the fond for the re-
ILI of the anaenhetoring district. of the North of Eng-
land. The native cliiefa of Rajpostaes alone have sub-
scribed half a lakh of repine, at 5.0001., through General
1AW7111014 the Polithel Asset This is almost as much as
the whole ffiebscriptioes from ths Madras presidency. The
sum raised is Calcutta amounts to about 2A,0001.
The same paper says : •
_ _ _ _

Rate hare been lima for the male of Waste Lands in the
Central Prosiness, which an perfectly =objectionable.
In sin Ohio* the zwaidnium area of lots is Axed at 15,000
MOON lad in the renniaung eleven et 3,000. The Almost
prim lea shilling, a Both, and Ire sbilhags, according to
Ike dkstriet. It it peentimently declared that no sale of
land sass made by a deputy coinrwissioner will be disturbed
by any higher imeositive authority. All In wise in provinces
yet unsettled and with a great forme, the rules will con-
tinue is faros fee ugly two yews. Now I the time for
Nnotheeter to grove ale Oaly ouweereetli of the
whole territory hat present aattivated.
The volunteer rifle movement is making rapil
strides in Calcutta, and appears to he regarded
with ineressiewievisur by the Tbe Mears

of the bth ooropZylaaiiihtseui ad en giving three
prizes, value Re. 200 each, Which axe to be com-
peted for only by those who have been most regular
In their attendance at daily drill.

The following address to her Majesty from the
Ltive Council of Ceylon, is published in the
Co °tomer of Dee. $0 :

TO rem quieten Now xxemitet IIAJZSTT.
The Humble Address of the Legislative Conseil el Ceylon,
beweth,—Tleat this Council have learnt with great inip-
preibenidoe that a suggestion lees been made for transferring
this oolony to the goverement of India ; and being con-
vinced that the charge would be productive of emelt evil,
they beg most respectfully to lay the following miaow
before your Majesty against the proposed meager&
There la no point of community between Ceylon
and India, herald what may be supposed to seise
from their mere geographical proximity. The inha-
bitant' of the two countries differ in ram in language, and
is feeling. Their laws and urges are different. The me-
ditation of this colony, as established by royal charter,
has secured to it higher privileges and more material bene-
fits than are enjoyed under the Indian government. The
political and administrative institutions of Ceylon, die
judicial establishments throughout the island, the local
agencies of government, and generally all its fiscal
men* are better adapted to the circumstanceeanorg;
coloey, and to the +lota and fediogs of the people than
those of India would be. They have existed for more than
half a couttiry unaltered, save in their improvement and
extension, and are well understood and appreciated.
Any change, therefor*, by which they might be circum-
scribed or altered la character, would impede the progress
of the oolony, and seriously disturb the peace and prosperity
' which bare hitherto prevailed. The people of Ceylon ars
I well satisfied with the existing form of government, which
baa secured to them a fair representation of their various
interests, and which it is hoped would not be altered, except
with a view to the further development of its representative
character. Since the cession of the maritime provinces is
1796, and within lees than half a century after the conquest
of the Kluane territories, the marked progress
which the colony has made in material prosperity,
and the peace and good order which contrast so
strongly with ha previous troubled slate, can be
attributed only to the wise and Wand areemares of
your Majesty's government, zealously carried out by local
' authorities, who have well comprehended the wants of its
inhabitants, and bare supplitd them by prompt and judi-
cious niessures. Under the festering influence of good
laws, and the esseeireging aid of a lead administration,
enterprise has been stimulated and a vast commerce esta-
blished, by which Ceylon has been mimed to the
rank of one of your Majesty's most important colo-
nies. This amecil would respectfully suggest that
so 'efficient moons have been urged for so im-
portant a change, nor would that dna(' agar any cam-
pensatioe for the many advantages which are secured to this
'shed übder its present form of government • and they
would submit that it would hardly be just towside• loyal
and a prosperous *okay, powering a constitution which
ham been tried sad found suitable to its want* to amalga-
mate it with a country whose eonstitution has but recently
undergone • radical change, forced upon it by the admitted
defects of its previous administration. This couocil there-
fore pray that your Majesty will be graciously pleased to
refuse your sanction to the proposed annexation.