The Express.
London, England, 1846-11-23 00:00:00

INDIA AND CHINA.

--

THE OVERLAND MAIL.
An extraordinary express from Marseilles arrived
pi Saturday afternoon with the despatches anti.
aary of the Overland Mail. The dates are, from
3icurta, October Bth, and Bombay, October 15th.
quote the following from the private correspond-
'pee of the Herald, the combination to which we
bps latterly directed the attention of the public,
wig prevented as from receiving the same intel-

DPW'
Tbe din of arms again resounds on the north of
may. A formidable rebellion in Cashmeer, headed
by the late governor,
who refuses to resign his autho-
-ay into the hands of the new sovereign, has com-
.-.,
riled Goolaub Singh to go out with all his troops to
mdeevour to subdue them: while a contingent of
1000 men has been furnished by the Lahore Durbar
isr the purpose of go-operation. Such, however, is
dm plight of the domestic affairs of our allies, that
before the army of the mountain 'Maharajah could
iamb, 6,000 British soldiers were requested to garri-
on his capital—before the Sikh soldiers could quit
/Awe, the force of Sir John Littler must be
detained . Brigadier Wheeler accordingly marches
into the Jumboo territory, with a strong
force of about 6,000 men ; and there re-
mains till matters are quiet, or aid as circum-
stances may require. A considerable detaehment,
' amelly of artillery, is 'eld in hand to leave Lahore at
a moment's notice for the Bens ; while fresh troops
move from Ferozepore across the Sutlej,others moving
tm from the southward into the Jullundur Dooab.
Mootlan matters look less satisfactory than could be
wished for, and altogether the aspect of the political
atmosphere thltiughout the Sikh dominions is un-
ring. One of those wild and murderous outbursts,
which these regions seem remarkable, has occurred
at Katmandoo. A favourite of the Queen, a man of
high rank but low extraction, had been murdered. In
revenge the Queen seems to have created an uproar
among the people,, during which upwards of 100
of the chiefs, consisting of most of the great officers
of state, were cut off. By latest accounts, which
reached to the 22nd September, matters were becom-
ing more tranquil again. Tranquillity prevails in
other parts.
(From the Bombay Times of Oct. 15.)
Srussase.—As surely as the cold season succeeds the
rains, so surely will the weather fitted for moving troops find
warlike movements somewhere within or near our frontier.
The last fortnight gins tidings of two insurrections amongst
our allies—one in Cashmere, the other in Nepaul, with both
of which we are more nearly or remotely concerned. Mr.
Colvin, our resident at Kattaandoo, had quitted Nepaul on
account of his health, when instantly an outbreak appeared,
characterised by all the ferocity and bloodthirstiness which
mark :he domestic collisions of our neighbours along our
north-west borders. Olathe 14th Sept. General Gurgun Singh,
a man of base extraction, who stood high in the favour of the
Queen, was shot by an assassin. A general massacre of the
parties supposed to be implicated in it was resolved upon by
her Majesty, and the Prime Minister, with his brothers,
nephews, and sous, with about a hundred ether chiefs of note,
were destroyed. The Maharajah fled in consternation, and
the sovereign authority fell into the lands of the ruthless
princess. The families of those who have been sacrificed have
been sentenced to banishment. As yet we are without fur-
ther partici:hrs. In Cashmere insurrection has made for-
midable head, the people not being. inclined to submit in
quietness to the transference of their allegiance from the
sovereign ruler of Lahore to that of Jamoo. The troops of
this new ruler sent forth to chastise them having been beaten,
Gbolab Singh resolved to take the field with his whole army ;
bat, feeling no confidence in the stability of his affairs at
home, requested us to occupy his capital and defend
his rear against his subjects. Brigadier Wheeler, with a
division of about six thousand men, will accordingly be
peshed forward, and occupy Jamoo. In addition to the
Sikh troops from the mountains, about 10,000 have
been ordered to march into Cashmere from Lahore, involving
the detention of our troops some months longer in the capital
than was dreamed of, from causes not in contemplation at
the time the treaty was agreed to. Various minor move-
ments springing from or accompanying this new state of
things are now in progress. A strong detachment is held in
readiness to move at a moment's warning from Lahor • on
the Bess—another to cross the Sutlej from Ferosepore to-
wards Lahore. There seems no reason at present to appre-
hend that we shall be involved in hostilities by any of these,
were it not that our armies so rarely stir without the com-
pass of our own dominions but fighting ensues. The Gover-
nor-General and Commander-in-Chief are probably by this
time on a tour of inspection, but no tidings have reached us
of their having left Simla. There is nothing whatever stir-
ring in Scinde, nor indeed throughout any part of India,
worthy of notice. The Governor of Madras is still in the
Neilgherries. The Bombay Governor leaves to-morrow for
Ebandalla in the Ghauts. Sir David Bullock, our prospec-
tive chief justice, will not assume his appointment until after
the departure of Sir 11. Roper, who will thus have com-
pleted the seven years' term of service, and he entitled to a
pension of 1,0001. a-year. The Five per Cent. Loan of 1841
has been re-opened.
THE PUNJAUB.
(From the Bombay Times).
Just as the period seemed at hand when our troops were
to retire from Lahore, and the strength of the political arch
we had erected to be tested by the removal of the props
which had hitherto sustained it , unlooked-for events make
their appearance, rendering further delay indispensable. A
bloody insurrection in Cashmere shows no bold a front that
the Sikh armies, both from Jamoo and Lahore, are sum-
moned forth to quell the rebels, and so weak are the two
Governments, that British soldiers are required at both capi-
tals to see, that when the troops march forth to chastise mal-
contents in the provinces, malcontents more formidable still
do not make their appearance in the cities to meet the array
on its return. The attractions of the vale of Cashmere are
more celebrated in song than in geography or statistics. It
is described as an elevated tract to the westward of the
Punjauh, enclosed by lofty mountains, the central plain
being alluvial. It is watered by the river Jelum and its
numerous tributaries. It is about 120 miles long and 70
broad, comprising an area of nearly 4,500 square miles. The
population of Cashmere has, by terrible visitations of pesti-
lence and famine, been, within 20 years, reduced from
800,000 to 200,000. In 1752 it was conquered by Ahmed
Schell. and attached to Western Affghanistan. It remained
a portion if the Dooranee empire till 1819, when it was an-
nexed by itunjeet Singh to the Sikh dominions. In March,
1844, it was transferred from the rule of Lahore to that of
the Jamoo Maharajah, for whom we desired to carve out a
kingdom in return for his payment of the subsidy due to us
by the supreme authorities. Seven passes penetrate from
uithout the entrances through the mountains into the valley
of Cashmere, of which one-half only are said to be travers-
able by horses. The Sikhs penetrated by the Baramoola
Ws, through which the river Jelum finds it way. They
were only able to take a single piece of ordnance along
with them, a six-pounder gun, slung on poles, and borne
by 32 men at at a time ; a tolerable illustration of the cha-
racter of the path. When the country was made over
to Gholab Singh, one of his old confederates in
treason, Sheik Emam-ood-Deen, long governor of the
province, exercised almost unbounded influence over the
minds ot the people. Averse to quit the place of his
authority, and no longer suffered to exercise it as before, he
resolved to set up for himself, unfurling the standard of re-
so% with a view of entering on independent sovereignty. A
force under Lukput Rae, seat out against him, was defeated,
end its commander slain. This state of matters could not, of
course, he permitted to endure, and the Jamoo chief resolved
to move against his refractory subjects at the head of all his
army, so soon as he could make arrangements for securing
bis rear from attack. Nor was even this considered suffi-
cient ; the Lahore Durbar was applied to, and 10,000 Sikhs
directed to move thence into Cashmere, to operate in con-
cert with the other forces. Meanwhile we were entreated to
assist by occupying Jamoo, and permitting our troops to
stand fast at Lahore. Consequent on these arrangements,
the following movements are understood to have been or.
dered : —Brigadier Wheeler, with about 6.000 men, consist-
ing of a troop of Horse Artillery, a light Field Battery, one
regiment of Regular and another of Irregular Cavalry, and
the 15th, 24th, 30th, and 33rd Native Infantry, occupies Jas-
mine, and then advances on Jamoo. One day's post brings
tidings that contingently on this Sir John Littler and hk
troops will stand fast at the capital three months longer than
was proposed—another that a fresh brigade is in orders to
cross the Sntlej at Ferorepore and march on Lahore. This,
according to the Delhi Gazette's Simlab letters, is to consist
of Campbell's and Lane's troops of Hens Artillery, 6th Re-
gular and 12th Irregular Cavalry, her Majesty's 62d Foot,
sad the 51st and 54th Native Infantry. A letter of the 29th
ultimo from Lahore, received on Monday, intimates that
her Majesty.'s 80th, and the 12th, 42d, and 45th Native In-
.f.aa_ tel. Major Day's troop of Horse Artillery, and Major
nariford's Light Field Battery, are under orders to much
thence at a moment's warning for a post on the
Bert Our correspondent furnishes us with no information
1190 ed the fact of these movements, and we shall not there-
Bee venture on speculations. This new element of activity
7"," altogether foreign to our contemplations: what its
ultimate effects may be, it is not easy to anticipate. The
Sikhs, alike of the mountain and the plain, must now see
more clearly than even after Sobraon had opened their eyes,
not only how completely they are at our mercy, but how
!Innately they are dependent on us for their own protection.
Funwhile the property of the rebel chief, meetly existing
t, the Julltuadur Doah, was directed to be everywhere con-
fiscated, and very ample returns were thence expected to
arise. The Moultan arrangements also seem to pro-
al less auspiciously than could be desired, and that was
... one time promised by them. The Ambassador appears
distrustful bow to act, and seems to think that he will require
to Proceed to the city of Dloultan itself. The Moolraj is sus-
tiecoit,d of disengenuosness and disjunction from the first, and
likely thought that the disturbances of Cashmere and
the absence of the army supplied plausible procrastination,
in the prospect of the withdrawal of the British force. Alto-
gether, the state of things looks at present much more tangled
and perplexing than it has done almost since the Governor-
General quitted the Sikh dominions. The cold weather
y 'ems to have set in, and the season is favourably spoken of;
n 'mow had fallen on so me of the mountains at no very great
distance nom Rote Ranges