The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-15 00:00:00

BENGAL AND THE NORTH-WEST
PROVINCES.

Lord Dalhousie continues at Calcutta, and has
for the present given up his intention of proceed-
ing to Burmah, if he ever had any such. General
Godwin was about to leave to assume command of
his division : the gallant officer will not, it is said,
remain much longer in India, but will return home
by way of the Indus and Bombay. Colonel Lowe,
CB., resident at the Nizam's coart, was about to
leave Hyderabad to take his seat at the council
table, and had delivered over charge of the resi-
dency to Major Davidson as a temporary measure
till the arrival of Mr. Bushby. Sir James Thomp-
son, K.C.8., died suddenly on the 25th ult. of apo-
plexy, having been struck down by this disease
while at l'is duty in the Medical Board Office.
Sir James was Physician-General, and had
seen service in Java, Affghanistan, Assam,
China, and in the first Burmese war. He was
mayoralty beloved, and his sudden death had cast a
deep gloom over society at large. His death brings
Superintending Surgeon Clapperton into the board,
and gives Senior Surgeon Forsyth a superintending
surgeacy. The Bengal Chamber of Commerce is
said to be in a very flourishing state : it numbers 100
members, and its income was snarly 1,6001. per
annum. Sir W. Gomm has called on all command-
ing officers of her Majesty's regiments for the names
of a field officer, two captains, and three subalterns,
fit for employment either in the public works
or Surveyor-General's department. It is now
generally reported that the uniform newspaper post-
age in India is to be a penny-halfpenny, and letter
postage a penny. For this great boon the Indian
community are indebted to Lord Dalhousie and Mr.
John Marshman. The value of the indigo saved from
the wreck of the ship City of Poona was 17,000/.
Salvage to the extent of 2,6001. was claimed by the

captain and crew of the small steamer which rescued
the property, bat the amount granted by the Supreme
' Court was 380/. to the owners, 1001. to the cowman-
der, 731. to the fit at officer, 2/. each to the lascars,
21. 10s. to the Sookhanees, and 3/. to the Serang—or
in all probability 4231., or one-sixth the amount
claimed. Mr. John Colvin will succeed Mr. Lewis;
in the Supreme Council in December next. Major ,
Gordon's regiment of Loodhiana is to relieve Arm-1
strong's 4th Seikh infantry in Burmah. Throughout!
the north-west provinces the want of rain was much
felt up to end of August, when copious showers
fell in many parte. The comet was vi-1
sible at several stations, and was looked on with
much alarm by the natives. Brigadier G. Brooke,
C. 11., had left Umballa for Simla on a visit to Lady
and Sir W. Gomm, after which he was to repair to
Ilum Dum as commandant of the whole of the
Bengal artillery—an office similar to that of Master
General of Ordnance in the royal service. Dr. St.
John had been ill at Umballa, but was recovering.
The Delhi Gazette of 31st August says:
The rumours so often rife about the removal of the quar-
ters of the artillery to Meerut are about to be vs rifled. A
committee is now assembled at that station fee the purpose
of selecting suitable buildings fur the school of instruction
and quarters for officers and men. This is more like a
removal than anything we have heard of any time these
three years. Of the advisability of this step there need not
be anything said at prey nt further than that it must be
plain to all, that the north-west has lung been the proper
place for the artillery head-quarters; the only marvel is
that the order bas not long since passed council.
TILE NIZAM'S DOMINIONS

afford nothing worthy of mention by this mail, ex-
cept the temporary assumption of office as Resident
by Major Davidson until the arrival of Colonel
Lowe's successor, Mr. Bushley. The usual amount
of correspondence, such as it was, from the Nizain's
capital has not made its appearance during the past
fortnight, and its want is no loss, for a large pro-
portion of it always seemed to me to be downright
rut, written by paid contributors merely because they
were obliged to do something for their salary.