The Express.
London, England, 1856-10-04 00:00:00

THE OVERLAND MAIL.

INDIA AND CHINA,

We have received our despatches from India and
China vii Marseilles, a telegraphic summary of which
appeared in our yesterday's impression. The data
are :—Boinbry, August 29 ; Calcutta, August 22 ;
Hong Bong, August 9; Canton, August 8 ; Shanghai,
July 31.
The Bombay papers state that, consequent upon
orders from home, preparations are being made in
Bombay for a military demonstration in the Persian
Golf. No details of these alleged preparations are
given, and the statements of the Indian press on the
eubjeOt wear a very speculative air. The Bombay
Timm reports Mr. Vernon Smith's speech delivered
in the House of Commons on the 21st of July, and
then says:
The Chairman of the Board of Control having announced
in his speech on Indian affairs, that after the treaty catered
into with Persia in 1853 binding the Shah not to laterfere
with Herat, it would be impossible to permit advances to
be made on that city, or, should it already be occupied,
means must be taken to met its occupants, • deepatch
was received by the government of Bombay to mike the
accessary preparations for extremities. By latest accounts
Herat has for some months been in the possession of
Persia, the Afghans, though eager, being nub's
to expel them. We are at present, therefore, busy, is
compliance with instructions from home, main
arrangements tar the despatch of a forge to the
Gulf. Persian staohinatious and insolence made their
appearance when Russia was supposed to be carrying
everything before her in the Crimes, and we have no doubt,
now that the war is closed, that the Shah will see the
wisdom of acting on the counsel given him from St. Peters-
burg ill months ago, on no acoourt to get into a squabble
with England. A vigorous remonstrance, end the know-
ledge that we are preparing to back this by • tome perfectly
Irresistible, will in all likelihood obtain for us all that we
desire without the movement of a man.

From Affghanistan tidings must always be re-
ceived with very great allowances. Dost hiahomed is
still at Cindshar, anxious bet unable to get to Herat.
The Persians are endeavouring meanwhile to work
upon his fears, and trying to persuade him to return
to Cabal. His soldiers are said to be going over in
thousands to the enemy, Affghsn irregulars being in
general ready to juin any cause where plunder is in
ROW.
The Laho►s Chrofsicle says :

On the authority of letters received from Cabal, " The
capture of Herat wee effected by force, and not by fraud.
Barash Khan, the governor of the place, wished to make
term., but the offer was refused. The besiegers succeeded in
destroying one of the gates. They then carried the city by
atom, with aloes on their aide of 1,500 killed. Dost
Me-
homed is of coons much dispirited by this news, sad does
cot propose to return to Cabal for the present. A European
lately arrived from Candaber from Herat. The Lester told
kim to go en to Shan/pore in Ends ; but be instead went
to Cabal, end maned himself for a time In the hones of a
Jew merchant. He was at last dkcevered and curia to tho
dasher of fathomed Amass Khan, the Dot's son, who
ordered his paints to murder him ; bat by the recommenda-
tion of Mahouts& Osman Khan, the Doet's nephew, his life
was spared, and he was delivered to the Vakeel of the Bri-
tish government, to be forwarded to Peshawar. It appears
that the Europeanises preferred to remaia at Cabal to pm-
Um medicine."

All apprehensions of a second &tail insurrection
had pined away. The unfortunate people were sat
faring from a famine, the natural result of the last
year's rising..
The Governor-Geaeral was at Calcutta, and Lord
Harris at Madras; Lord Elpbinstooe was about to
proceed to the Deccan, where, however, he would only
make ?a short sojourn, "hie object," says the Bom-
bay lima," being to consult with the Commander-
in-Chief on the proposed Persian expedition." A
subscription bad been set on toot in Calcutta for the
benefit of the victims of the recent inundations in
France, and up to the latest dates amounted to
about 8001.

The weather had for the fortnight been singularly
agreeable, with a pleasant intermixture of sunshine
and showers. The fall of rain up to the latest date
was short of sixty inches, and the monsoon would in
all likelihood be somewhat under an average, but it
had occurred so seasonably as to be eminently favour-
able for sgticulture.
CHINA.

The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company's ship Singapore, with the English =Sof the
10:h of June, arrived at Hong Kong on the 25th of July.
News from London 45 days old. The Peninsular and
Oriental Company's ship Chosen, with telegraphic re-
ports via Calcutta from London to the 28th of June,
arrived on the sth August, three weeks from Bombay,
followed the next day by the report bearer to Singa-
pore, the Fiery Cross, 13 running days only from
Calcutta. The Lightning, also from Calcutta via
Penang, arrived on the morning of August 9. The
most remarkable record of the month elapsed since
the despatch of the previous mail had been the ex-
ceedingly inclement weather. In Canton as much as
113 inches of rain fell in 57 days. The foreign
factories were flooded, communication in some cases
being kept op by hosts. Ruin to the provincial rice
crops follows as a matter of course, and great is the
distress anticipated from the conjunction of the high
price of rice and anarchy.
Touching the rebellion, the Over and Friend of
Chino says:

As the rebellion approaches it; crisis this subject is De-
eming more and more absorbing. News very unfamer.
absl to the imperialists has recently reached Scenghai. 044
report says three cities south-west of Sco-chow hove fallen.
The latest iatelligeace of the rebels in the neighbourhood
of Nanking is that they have been gaining upon the
imperialists, end have taken the town Keeling sad a
district town is the vicinity of Nanking, also Leih-yeag,
which belong. to the department of Chin Kiang, sad ere
now besieging the town of B sing, la C►ug chow-fee. The
commander in-chief of the imperials% Heanrynng, has
beau compelled to withdraw hie forest from the neighboae.
hood of Nanking. The cavalry under his command have
disappeared, and his other troops are dispirited. The
two parties have lately had two g e I battles, In both
of which the insurgents were victors. In the firsts Go-
vernor Keib fell, and various other high officers were killed.
In the lest the chief commander of the day wee wounded
in the thigh, and his troop routed by the issargente. The
whole province of Xiang-el, joining Kivang-tang on the
north-sect, is new reported ea entirely in possession of the
isieurgeste.
The PA* Gaseils (day 22) gives an eesomt of the lose
of Niog-kwoh-feo, about 200 miles west of fibmighal:—
. On the 7th inst. oar local reporter informed to of the loss
of Usg-ehow, in Kwangoi, where the rebellion first com-
menced, sad is new golag ea with power. The officers in
Gemmed were wounded, the fortifications sad war junks
all taken, exempting nine that made their imps. Again
smother despatch tame on the 27'h ult., saying that the
market-tows of Wsercheng was taken by the rebels, and
one commander perished. The peat month mute to have
been an ufortena•e period for the imperialists; the reports
of their losses, like Job's, follow each other in quick sums-
; bat them is one consolation, it is to be hoped that
their less k the eonatry's gain."

Nothing had been heard of Admiral Seymour
since his excellency left Shanghai for Japan in July.
The Nankin is guard ship at Hong• Kong I the
Bittern is at Whampoa, but will go to Canton shortly.
The Comes proceeded on Admiral Stirling's convoy
service up the coast, duly, oa the Ist August.